Fire and Flight
by sarenelsoria
Summary: Harry Potter transforms into a Phoenix, without any memory of being human and flies to find his destined one.Draco Malfoy is a veela and wakes up one morning to find his mate in his bed,he believes his mate to be an highly intelligent animal. A Prophesy is spoken about how Great Britain's Wizards need to try to understand each other,or face war, until both sides are wiped m/m
1. Chapter 1

Prologue

Harry Potter smiled at his soon to be wife; they had both decided that it would be better to wait until after the wedding to sleep together. That they shouldn't rush things and that they had the whole of their lives to be together now that Voldemort was gone. That and they were both in mourning for Fred, who had died in the final battle. Harry watched as Ginny breathed deeply in and out, curled next to him in the bed, he was going to be eighteen years old soon, an age that he was never sure of reaching. He gently moved a lock of hair from her face, before lying back in their bed at Grimwald Place.

He watched his clock tick down the minutes left before the moment of his birth, hardly believing that he could be so blessed. He watched, as the clock got closer to midnight, until finally he turned eighteen. There was a brilliant flash and Harry felt himself light on fire. He screamed, he was in agony, he was being burned alive. He ran from the bed and stared in horror at his body, covered in flames. "GINNY GET OUT OF THE HOUSE, SAVE YOURSELF." He shouted and Ginny stirred waking up confused and staring at Harry in shock. "GET OUT OF THE HOUSE NOW, I THINK SOMEONE CURSED ME, PLEASE GINNY IT ISN'T SAFE."

Ginny stared at him a moment longer, before she turned and ran from their home. Harry stared after her, relieved that she had gotten out, that she was safe. The room around him was on fire as well, as he burned. He screamed and screamed, yet no matter what spells he tried, nothing could stop the flames. He wasn't just a part of the fire, he was the fire, it burned inside of him, as well as burning in the room. He felt the agony inside of him, he shrieked and the sound that emerged from his throat wasn't one a human could make. He shrieked again and again, until finally the blackness took him.

He was freedom and he was the wind, he laughed as he spread his wings and soared away from the burning building that would soon be no more then ash. He would find his destined one, the one that he was meant for and he would be cherished by them, as the great gift he was. He flew in the direction of his destined one, determined to reach them, to be with them, to croon to him, to have chicks with him in his human form. To live their lives together and to grant them a long life. He streaked across the sky, one of the most powerful magical creatures in the world, shouting his joy to the heavens.

He landed in a strange dwelling, those who walked on two legs might have called it a mansion. Yet the word for it didn't matter to him at the moment, in fact no words mattered, except for destined one. It beat over and over again in his mind, with each new flap of his wings. He found a balcony, the door was open to let in cool air. He smiled then, soon he would be with his destined one, and then they could begin their lives together. He found his destined one lying asleep in his nest, he smiled and landed softly on the man's chest. The man sighed in his sleep, one hand coming out of the covers and wrapping around the wild being that was now his. He sighed in his sleep and the wild one let out a contented chirrup, before closing his eyes, putting one wing over them, before falling asleep.

Chapter One

Draco frowned as he opened his eyes, something was heavy on his chest and there was a contented thrum coming from his chest. He knew that despite how little he actually knew of his inheritance that Veelas never made such a noise. A wonderful smell filled the air and danced upon the wind. It was fire and trees after rain, it also smelled slightly of roses and the static tang of power clung to it. He felt his world lock into place, as he opened his eye and saw a phoenix sleeping on his chest. All that mattered to him now was this impossibly big bird that must have been doing the bird equivalent of snoring. Draco stared at him in wonder a moment, before breaking into hysterical laughter. Of course with his luck he'd be mated to a phoenix, considering that nothing had gone right for Draco Malfoy of late, why should this be the exception. Veelas were supposed to mate with humans, because he couldn't mate properly with consent from a bloody bird, how ever was Draco going to survive past his next birthday. His laughter woke the phoenix and it opened luminous green eyes. "Merlin your eyes look just like Potter's."

The phoenix cocked its head and let out a inquiring and interested sound. "Potter is most likely no one, you'll ever meet. He's a speckled git, with more luck then sense and likes to make himself out to be better than me. No one is better then me, you hear me mate?" He asked the phoenix and the bird looked at him once more, letting out a trill.

"Good bird, you know who's the greatest wizard here, don't you? If only the rest of the world would share your sentiments, but mine is the curse of beauty and nobility and all are jealous of me. To have one such as you as a mate, clearly shows that they were wrong to imprison me. My father always taught me that it is better to hide who you truly are, that way you never get hurt if someone rejects you. Still you would never reject me would you, you have no choice but to be with me now and as I am yours, you are mine." Draco said and stroked the Phoenix's feathers for the first time. The bird leaned into the caress for a moment, before moving towards Draco's hair. "Not the hair please, later you might groom my wings if you wish, but don't touch the hair." The Phoenix let out a sound that sounded entirely too much like laughter. "Hey don't you laugh at me you bloody bird. I'd better get down to breakfast, otherwise my 'dark wizard sitters' will have a field day. Well let us put on the mask and greet the day with aplomb, no matter how demeaning this might be." Draco said and went to the closet to get some clothes. The bird called out for him and Draco barely had enough time to change before it had landed on his shoulders.

"Oof, you weigh a ton, you know what, you look like a Thunder, always thundering about the place, what do you think boy?" Malfoy asked and the phoenix let out a singsong trill. "I suppose that means you judge the name accurate, am I correct, nod your head if you agree that I have superior naming abilities." Draco said and smiled as the phoenix nodded his head. "That's a good boy Thunder, I believe that we will get on amicably, although I think I'll go barmy from the lack of sex." Thunder let out a descending trill. "I am a Malfoy and Malfoys don't fuck magical birds, no matter how beautiful they might be." He said and the Phoenix had the nerve to point at Malfoy and let out a sound that sounded like descent, before it gestured to one of his wings. "Veela are considered a magical humanoid, not a Avialie magicus, like you your fine self are. We had better go now, my taskmasters are waiting after all and you never keep an auror waiting they get tetchy." Draco said and winced as he walked down the stairs. "We are going to demand that we go to Diagon Alley before we help with the rebuilding, my poor shoulder will not be able to stand up to your prodigious size." He said and the bird squawked and ran a beak through Malfoy's hair. "Cut that out you and I guess that did come out wrong, I just meant to say that you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen, despite that you are a very large bird and it is alas not entirely comfortable for me to have you on my shoulders, though I do like you so close to me."

With that Draco began to elegantly saunter down the staircase, reaching the bottom of it and turning towards the dining room. He nearly gave away his aloof persona, when the Aurors actually dropped their jaws and gaped at him. "I do believe that you are supposed to chew with one's mouth closed." Draco said and took his seat at the head of the table. Unfortunately his parents were still in prison awaiting trial and it would be far from easy to determine their fates. As his Mother was the mate to his father, if they were to kill him, she would not last long after her death. Draco was worried for his parents, he thought for certain that they would win the war and everything within the wizarding world would go back from the world the muggleborns had made it over time and change instead to the ways of the old order that Draco thought to be superior. Before the introduction of muggleborns, wizards had lived in harmony with all creatures and the lands, but do to the twisted depravity of muggles, the traditional ways had slowly declined, until perhaps there were only truly fifty families left in Great Britain that followed the old ways. The old ways could be taught, but it was as much a religion as a way of practicing magic and the thing about faith was that it was hard to convince others to believe, when they were not born believing. Still Draco didn't want the way he lived his life to be gone, within a few generations, because of people immigrating and demanding changes to their constitution. As it was the wizarding climate of Great Britain was no longer stable, yet Draco and others like them remained. They were the last decendants of the draiyed, the first wizards that had dwelt in what was now Great Britain.

They had been wrong to put their trust in a man, though although from an ancient family was not raised in their ways. They had paid for it, when Draco's family swore fealty to a man that was slowly loosing his sanity. The things that his father had been forced to do were terrible, Draco had seen how the war had affected his father and how his Father had clearly believed that it might be better if the other side won by the end. Still it was no better then it had been before the war, in fact in many ways it was worse. Draco took some of the silver platters and gathered food to his plate. He took all of what was left of the bacon, some eggs, toast, beans and jam. He used to eat plain oatmeal in the morning, to be nourished by that which came directly from the mother. Still he had found that oatmeal was not enough to see him through lunch, while he had to perform menial labor, to assist in the rebuilding for a people that had spent centuries subjugating his own.

He occasionally rolled up bacon and fed it to the Phoenix, who made small chirrups of pleasure at the treat, as he delicately took the bacon from Draco's fingers. Finally the bird turned his head away, clearly having his fill of food. Draco smiled and continued to eat his own breakfast, as his mate had now been seen to. "I need to go to Diagon Alley, before starting work today, I would be too fatigued after helping with the rebuilding, to get the necessary supplies for Thunder."

"How on earth did a Phoenix bond to the likes of you?" One of his guards burst out.

"Perhaps I am not the man you think I am, perhaps our side had our reasons, just as you did. Perhaps we thought our way of life, those that do not believe in the rights were threatening our very existence and rituals we live our lives by. Perhaps we didn't wish to share that which we held sacred and have it be ridiculed by the masses, so we turned to what seemed like the only option left to us. I am a man of honor and I have never killed and yet I am held prisoner in my own house, merely because my Grandfather was loyal to a man that turned out to be mad. However once we swore to be his vassal, our other vassals were brought into the war as well. Proud and noble families died for naught, because of a madman's need to regain what we had lost. The entire war could be summed up to a simple fact, the old ways are not for those not born to them. They can never truly understand them, as they have not grown up believing in the values and beliefs we hold sacred. Now will you allow me to get what I require to take care of my companion, or will you deny me the most basic of necessities and have an innocent Phoenix suffer for your cruelty?" He inquired and the air around him became static, Thunder nuzzled his head against Draco's reassuringly and Draco felt himself calm almost instantly.

"The bird is clearly a young one, he only has three plumes, he will need special care and it will need to be determined if he is just a phoenix."

"You say that if it was nothing to be a phoenix, phoenixes are creatures of light in their purest form. They are a gift from the Mother and the Father, one of their first children and need to be accorded respect as such. While it is true that magical humanoids have bred with Phoenixes in the past, it is rare to a descendant with the soul of a phoenix inside of them. I feel that the odds that my companion is able to shift form are highly unlikely. I will not have him submitted to tests that may well be very painful for him to endure." He said. "In any event my phoenix is his own person and it has been determined that Phoenixes are just as intelligent as wizards are and need to be treated as such." He said, he couldn't bare to hope that just maybe his mate was more then an animal, phoenixes were highly intelligent, yet how could he truly be with a phoenix as a veela needed to be with his mate?

"We would never harm a phoenix."

"I do not know what those that do not follow the old ways are capable of. Just as you do not truly know what those of the old ways are capable of. We have codes of honor that people like you cannot begin to imagine and a culture different from the wizarding world, although we have heavily influenced the wizarding world as it is rightfully ours. We allowed for muggleborns to study from us, to learn what we had to teach them and they repay it by trying again and again to change our world for the better. What they really do is make our world more like theirs and attempt to destroy our way of life. I will state this clearly and you might quote me on it, as long as muggles attempt to destroy our way of life, there will be war. You may be able to stop it by destroying all that follow the old ways, still that would make you less then the monsters you seek. By destroying a culture and history that has been around for thousands of years, a system of honor that you can't possibly understand, you are committing genocide and therefore no better then the dark lord. The Dark Lord had the courage to do something at least, before the insanity got to him, he saw the need for the preservation of the old ways. The only way that I'm speaking to you of this, is that its clear to all in this room that my heart is pure. Still having a pure heart is one thing, people can accomplish many things that others would consider horrible with pure hearts. It means only that I do not enjoy killing or bloodshed, that in fact I would attempt to avoid them whenever possible. It does not mean that I am incapable of them, after all Dumbledore was capable of a great many things and he was pure of heart." He sighed. "Now may we go, or will you continue to simply stare at me like fools?" He demanded.

"We can go, but only for an hour, then we must return to Hogwarts."

"As you wish." Draco said and bowed highly insultingly, though as those not privy to the old ways, they didn't understand the gesture. He walked with the other Aurors to outside of the manor and took one of their hands as they disappeared. He found himself in Diagon Alley the Phoenix seemed interested at the people coming and going with lumber and other supplies floating about the buildings. He let out a high-pitched call, before leaping from Draco's shoulders and flying over Diagon Alley, he turned on the wind, banking his body and Draco smiled. His mate was a beautiful creature, it didn't matter to him that their relationship could never be what was considered controversial, seeing him flying up above in the sky, Draco felt truly blessed. He watched his mate for a moment longer, before heading into the Magical menagerie. "Hello I'm looking for several large perches and a shoulder pad big enough for a phoenix. I think I could also use some books on phoenixes as one just recently bonded itself to me." He said and the man behind the cash register stared wide-eyed at Draco a moment, before getting together his purchases. "Before I leave, is there any particular diet that phoenixes are supposed to eat?"

"They love flavored smoke and well charred meats, they also have a sweet tooth. Other then that they liked to be groomed and enjoy grooming. You may want to buy several self cleaning cat boxes as Phoenixes are fastidious creatures, that can't stand being dirty or being around their own filth."

"Yes, add them to my purchases as well, this is to be charged to the Malfoy account in Gringotts." Draco said and the man nodded, Draco was relieved yet again that the Ministry couldn't cease his assists, or demand that he pay anything at all to them. There were five unbreakable wizard laws and that was one of them. Another was that a seat couldn't be taken from an old family, even if that family was no longer a part of the wizard community, once the last of a line died, he could transfer his seat over to someone that he deemed shared his values. Draco's father had held twenty seats in the Wizardgammat and once given, only the wizard that held the seat, could give the seat to another. Therefore when it came time for Lucius' trial, Draco would abstain and give the seats over to someone he trusted for a period of one meeting of the wizardgammat. The only problem was that he had no idea of whom to trust and as a relation to the accused, he could not be impartial at the trial. That was the third unbreakable rule, if a wizard that sat on the wizardgammat, could not see the other side in the conversation, then he was excused from the trial. The fourth rule was that the political structure of the wizarding world could not be changed, even though the minister had as much power as a king at some points in history, the wizardgammat was a force to be not taken lightly. Even if Voldemort had won, he would have become Minister and would still have to listen at least superficially to the wizardgammat. That was why most Dark wizards moved to the continent or further away, if they wished to truly rule someone.

Draco sighed wishing that he could go back to seeing the world as black and white, but thanks to Potter he could never think that way again. He and Potter had been rivals, if not all out enemies and yet Potter had saved Draco's life, at the risk of his own. Draco was beginning to realize that the world was not black and white as most of the wizarding populace believed, but there were as many shades of grey.

He rubbed at his temples, shrinking his purchases, apart from the shoulder pads, which he put onto his shoulders and saw two medallions as well, hanging from a hook. He had no idea that the menagerie sold necklaces of knowing. They were usually reserved for close friends, or bonded partners. He supposed that they could work just as well for intelligent animals and so bought the set, putting one around his neck and wincing as it absorbed into his skin. Now if he ever figured out how to change his form, besides the one of a veela, the necklace had bonded to his magic and would stay on him.

He walked outside and gave a sharp whistle, he heard the Phoenix whistle back and smiled. Thunder landed on the cobblestones and cocked his head at Draco, as if to say "Well what do you want?"

"I have here a necklace that I'd like for you to wear, if you would permit me to put it around your neck." Draco said. "It will allow me to know where you are if I wish it and will allow you to know the same of me. If you were human, we would be able to communicate through a spell that's much like legitimancy, or mind reading if you prefer. I might still be able to communicate with you, who knows the charm might work, or it might not. It's a matter of applied magic and Phoenixes have a lot of magic, though I'm not sure if I could understand you, even if we could talk." The phoenix bent his head and nodded slightly, Draco secured the necklace around the Phoenix's head and smiled at him. "Don't go far alright, we'll have to leave once I've got what I need to have to take care of you properly." Draco said and smiled as the Phoenix flew into the sky. He watched his familiar dart about on the air currents for a moment, before he walked to Flourish and Blots. "I need every book you have on Phoenixes and caring for them." He said to store clerk.

"Anything else you need?" The man asked and Draco felt his hair stiffen at the rudeness in the man's tone.

"No I will be taking my business elsewhere and if you wish to maintain custom, you may wish to be more civil to those that enter your shop. Regardless of who they might have sworn fealty in the war, if you want to have their business, you would do well to give them the same respect that you give your other customers. Otherwise you will have a part of the population that is already resentful become even more so, this is not a threat, simply a statement of fact. Good day sir." Draco said and turned on his heel leaving the shop, his shoulders back and his gaze strait ahead. "I am done for now, though I may wish to visit Hogsmead later and procure my novels from a more hospitable shop." Draco said and took out his wand, he marked the shop with the mark of the trinity, of dark, light and grey, before grasping the hand of an auror. "Well what are you waiting for man, do show some level of competence." He said, as his familiar settled between his shoulders and started to gently tease Draco's hair with his beak. "Stop that you." Draco said and laughed, his bad mood gone. "Hey watch the hair." He said and Thunder let out a small song, which made Draco's sprits lighten almost instantly. He smiled then a genuine smile, as the auror apparated them away. He managed to school his expression, as they arrived just outside the badly damaged Hogwarts wards. They walked inside and Draco felt Thunder shiver slightly. "What is it Thunder?" He asked as the Phoenix continued to shake.

"Many died here." A girl with white hair said and stared at the lake. "To a Phoenix it feels as though he has failed somehow, but he hasn't. He was not there and their deaths were not his fault. Although most had stasis spells put on them hours after death, perhaps if their soul still lingers it might not be too late. The four-month period has not passed and the veil hasn't completely closed on their lives. Some souls might be departed, but he could attempt to save some if he so chose." She said and got that far off look in her eyes, when once she spoke it was not in her own voice, but in the voice of a much older woman. "One of hair of night with magic light, one of hair of moons, but magic of dark, bound together by soul's spark. Hark and listen to what I speak, for as you sow, you shall reap. If ways are not combined, both shall be lost for all of time. More tears will be shed in rivers of red, if you do not heed what I have said. I ask you not to abandon all, but rather to transform so all might survive and thrive, through this tormented time. The balance cannot be undone, the dark and the light, always they fight, but between them exists the grey. The balance of magic should never truly sway." She started to collapse and Draco caught her, staring at the girl and seeing her in a new light.

"Your a seer!" Draco said and bowed deeply to her. "My Lady I know not what to say."

"I'm a seer, well that explains why the air tells me things." Luna frowned. "Well what did I say."

"Something that worries me." Draco said and frowned. "I do not believe that it was my prophesy you spoke, so I have no right to utter it, perhaps the others that heard your words will tell you of them." Draco said and walked away towards the building. The Phoenix took off, flying high above Draco and letting out a song.

"Aren't you going to try to save them, if you asked your familiar..." The auror said.

"Why should I, if I tried to save those I cared about, they would only be on trial and killed again. As for the others, why should I save others that have been my enemies."

"What of Severus?"

"What of him, he clearly was only interested in himself. I don't know if even a Phoenix could save him."

"But he could try, the seer was right from what has been discovered of the veil between realms, it isn't too late." The auror said stubbornly and Draco stared up at Thunder, he was a sight to behold.

"I don't control Thunder, he is a companion, more then a familiar, he will do as he wishes." Draco said. "Now if you don't mind I have forced menial labor to get to and you are taking up my time with your useless babble." Draco said and turned from the auror, he had a splitting headache and his whole life had turned around so many times in the last few months, yet it would be four months since the end of the war tomorrow and too late for anyone to be saved. He took a deep breath and called to Thunder through the stone, the Phoenix landed on his shoulders and Draco apparated away. He found the plot of land Malfoys used as a burial ground for those friends and vassals that could not afford to be buried on their own land, or wished to rest on the Malfoy's. Draco split aside the soil and stared down at the white face of what had once been a second father to him. "Can you spill tears for this man, you did not know him, but he was once very important to me." Draco said and felt the phoenix lift from his shoulders and land on Severus' chest, the bird sang a sorrowful song, that brought tears to Draco's eyes and then Severus' chest rose and fell and rose again. Draco stared at the man that was now breathing, the cut in his neck vanished, as if it had never been. He canceled the stasis charm, but Severus still did not stir. He jumped down into the grave and took Severus' body into his arms, before apparating to the reception desk at Saint Mungos. He went to Godric's Hollow next, looking for newly dug graves and found many, he opened them all and watched as his companion flew from one to the other, some did not breath again, while others did. Draco frantically thought of more burial sites, going to all those he knew of, but they were burial sites for those of the old ways, he had no way of knowing where others buried their dead. He cast warming spells on those still living and felt a wild joy rise in him, with each person he saved. He began to open the graves of deatheaters as well, before apparating those that still lived to one of the safe houses his father owned. He was careful not to choose those that had scared him and been cruel to him, but chose instead that had shown a young man some kindness. He apparated back to the outskirts of Hogwarts, uncaring that he'd broken his parole. He threw his head back and laughed filled with a wild sense of joy and a purpose that he had never found elsewhere. His phoenix sang a beautiful song, that was clearly of his victory and where he had failed to save those Draco had asked to be saved.

"Where do non traditionalists bury their dead?" Draco asked the Auror who stared at him in shock.

"Your willing to help those that fought against you?"

"You heard the prophesy, like it or not, we're stuck with one another." Draco said and yawned, he felt slightly burnt out, what he had done was exhausting to a young wizard.

"I can take you." Someone offered hopefully.

"I make no promises, there are some that Thunder cannot save, even those that he has got to breath again were unconscious when I left them and in need of medical aide, there is only a day remaining for those we lost in the final battle to be saved." Draco said and rubbed his forehead.

"I'll take you." The auror said and Draco nodded, he went to more cemeteries and then found himself at the Burrow, he felt most uncomfortable there and constantly checked over his shoulder, as he uncovered the grave. If anyone saw him, there would be no time to explain, but for once since the end of the war, he was glad of the presence of Aurors. He watched as Thunder cried over the young man and stared as his lungs filled with air. Phoenixes were amazing creatures, the world was truly not worthy of them. He stared at his companion, his mate and felt blessed to have been chosen by such a pure spirit as the being in front of him. "There's one more place we've yet to go, can you manage it?" He asked and Draco nodded, swaying slightly on his feet, not only from the apparating, but also from feeding his mate magic. The Phoenix's feathers seemed duller then they had been, his eyes more glassy, but they apparated again together, finding the last set of graves. This time the auror opened the soil, as Draco rested on one of the benches, centering himself as he gave the last of his magical reserves to his companion. As he felt the Phoenix stop using his magic, he sighed, closed his eyes and tumbled into darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Draco didn't want to wake up, he moaned as the light hit his face and sighed in relief as something stopped the light from coming near him. He was warm and felt the familiar ebb and flow of magic in his house in the manor. He wasn't sure how long he drifted between waking and sleep, until his hair was pulled slightly demandingly. "Stop it Thunder." Draco demanded sleepily. "Sleepy, sleep now." He muttered and received another tug on his hair. "Oi you bloody bird, that's attached to my head." He said, cracking open a single eye and meeting the eyes of the Phoenix. "I'm sorry that was a bit uncalled for, but can't I sleep for just a little while longer?" He asked and Thunder shook his head, before pulling at Draco's hair. "Merlin that hurt, can't you entertain yourself for a while, I need to replenish my magical reserves and in order to do that I need to sleep."

The Phoenix squawked and pecked Draco on the cheek. "Oi my skin is delicate!" Draco said and slowly sat upright. "There you happy?" He asked and the Phoenix trilled, showing that indeed he was happy. "Bully for you, but I feel like someone hit me with twenty bludgers." Draco said. "Noxy!" He called and a House Elf appeared.

"Master is waking, oh happy day, master is waking. Master is being real sleepsies, he is sleepsing very long, couldn't wake master, or master's pretty bird, though many tried."

"How long has it been Noxy?" Draco asked and rubbed his pounding head.

"It is beings two monthes, we is beings worried, but Young Master's Father is being homeses."

"Father is home, what do you mean its been months?"

"Yes, they is sayings that it is beings only right, Young Master is needing his family and they is getting their families back, so Young Master should have his too. Young master is being very sleepsies, he is burnings too much magicsis"

"Have they woken up yet?"

"No, not yet, they is beings really sleepsies, more sleepsies then Young Master." She said and Draco frowned, that wasn't good. What Thunder and he had done, had never truly been attempted before, but they had somehow apparently managed it to a degree, he hoped that those he could save would wake.

"Tell my Father that I am awake and could you maybe bring some broth for Thunder and I?" Draco asked and the House Elf disappeared with a crack. Moments later his parents came into the room. "Mother, Father, are you alright?" Draco asked.

"It is us that should be asking that of you, you nearly burnt out your magical core Draco! We nearly lost you, what you did was more of the actions of a Gryffindor, or Hufflepuff instead of a Slytherin." His Father said to him and his Mother put a hand on his Father's shoulder.

"We were very worried dear, you know how your father isn't good at showing his emotions. We're both very proud of you however, I am glad that the little boy I loved wasn't hardened by this war." His mother said and came up to his bedside. "What you did was reckless, but also kind, we've always advised you to be amicable with those that are different then we are, but what you did many would not do."

_"Father, I brought back some of the True Ones as well." _

_"Save your strength, you took them to the safe house didn't you?" _His Father said and Draco gave a slight nod, his Father smiled at him and put a hand to his shoulder. "I am proud of you my son. _You were right to tell me this information mind to mind, our house is being monitored still and we must maintain appearances. _Are you in pain, the healers informed me that you might be in pain after you awoke."

"It is not so bad Father, it does hurt, but I've had worse." Draco said and his mother hugged him tightly.

"Oh darling, you must have been so frightened, all alone here." She said. "We'll get you a fairly strong pain potion, its clear to me when my baby is hurting." His mother said and Draco struggled not to laugh, where had this women come from, for although his Mother was kinder then his Father and loved him dearly, she wasn't like this normally.

"Not too strong, Thunder wants some company." Draco said and his mother sighed.

"You need to think of yourself first, not your mate, you should see yourself Draco, and you look a fright. A healer should come soon with your potions, make sure to take them all." His mother said and Draco nodded, as the house elf came with a steaming mug of soup and another bowl of charred meat

"I is thinking that it is being alright for birdy to havzes chard meatses, he is havings smokeses, so he is eatings more then Young Master." The House Elf said and Draco smiled.

"Thank you Noxy." Draco said and started to slowly sip at the soup, smiling as Thunder approached the bowl uncertainly, before sticking his head nearly inside of it and tossing his head back, as he gulped down the meat. He reached out a hand and stroked Thunder's Feathers, which seemed to shine brightly once more. "How often do you think he will need to burn?"

"Once every five years generally." His father said. "Though sometimes more time can pass between burnings."

"What if he's more then just a phoenix?" Draco asked.

"He might be, he might not be, what is important is that he is your mate. Even if he isn't there are stories about full phoenixes giving up phoenix form and transforming into humans. I don't know if those tales are true, or what happens to the Phoenix afterwards, as my resources at the moment are limited. You should know that Harry Potter is dead."

"What?" Draco demanded.

"It was a cursed fire, most believe that some of the Dark Lord's Followers escaped and took their revenge out on Potter, but it could be that something much less malicious happened to the boy."

"You think Thunder?" Draco demanded, before laughing nervously. "There's no way that Thunder is Potter."

"Many things are possible with magic. Still many believe that those that followed the Dark Lord were responsible for his deaths, as if the remaining death eaters would be organized enough to plan such an attack." Lucius said bitterly.

"Father a seer said that we have to allow each other to know of our traditions, give both sides a voice, or there will only be more wars and bloodshed."

"What of it? We cannot have the old ways vanish into the steam of time, like so much else."

"Maybe we should attempt to teach others our ways."

"That has been done in the past Draco, the wizards that did it did not fair well. The muggleborns believe as strongly in their gods, as we do in the Mother and the Father and that is all I am going to say about this for now." Lucius said.

"If we don't teach it to them as our faith, but rather explain the guiding principals on how we..."

"Do you truly think that Mudbloods, blood traitors and those afraid to get their hands dirty will listen to what we say."

"Few enough were afraid to get their hands dirty this last war Father and I was one of them. I have never killed."

"I know you haven't, you are better then me, a true son of the Mother and Father and I am proud that you will not resort to violence to see what you want in life accomplished. Very few could say the same. There are some people in the world that won't take life, not unless it is the last resort. Still it was war and people often take advantage of those unwilling to kill."

"Yeah I kind of see what you mean." Draco said and sighed, he felt better now that he'd taken the potions. He smiled at Thunder, who looked drowsy from the meat. Draco stroked his feathers gently and smiled as he watched the phoenix. Thunder fell asleep quickly and Draco started to feel drowsy as well. "Father?" He asked and Lucius took his hand.

"As much as I wanted you to wake, you need to rest a little longer son, I'm sorry."

"Can't believe you managed...trick me." Draco said, before his eyes closed and he fell down into a vortex of oblivion.

When he awoke next, he felt much better. He opened his eyes and looked at the feathers covering his chest. He chuckled at the sound of Thunder's snoring, but then remembered himself and that the room was being watched. He schooled his expression, putting on his mask, as he yawned and stretched, before stroking the sleeping phoenix gently. The bird shifted towards his hand and Draco couldn't stop himself from smiling. He was glad to have a mate that needed him as much as Draco needed them. Often times the bond was one sided at first, but with the phoenix, they both were bonded to each other. He knew that phoenixes had bonds, but he was uncertain of what those bonds were. He wished he could read, but he knew that at this point in his recovery, he'd be unable to concentrate. He felt slower then he usually did, as though he couldn't think as clearly and he hated that.

"Noxy?" Draco asked and the house elf appeared. "Will you read to me Noxy? Out of the books on phoenixes I bought at Diagon Alley."

"Noxy would be happy to read to young master." Noxy replied and Draco smiled lying back in the pillows. "Young Master is to be keeping his eyeses closedesd, or Noxy is not goings to be readings to himses."

"Alright Noxy." Draco sighed and closed his eyes, most of the book on how to care for phoenixes that he'd gotten from the pet shop seemed like it had been written for idiots or small children. He couldn't help but laugh when Noxy read the part about it being important not to sweep away the ash that develops when a phoenix is reborn. "People really swept away the ash before?" Draco demanded and the house elf shrugged.

"Maybes, I is not knowings." Noxy said and continued to read to him. Really the only thing Draco couldn't have automatically thought of himself was the part about nesting, apparently when his phoenix gave him a nest, he should be very appreciative of it, something that Draco had no trouble with, with being a veela. The problem he had was with the fact that like veela there were dominant and submissive phoenixes, the fact of the matter was that Draco wasn't sure if he was dominant or submissive. His family wasn't part of veela society, as the veela were just as pureblooded in their way as wizards and breeding with magical beasts had become frowned upon in recent centuries. Draco didn't really understand why, it sort of made sense with Trolls or Giants, beings that slowed the intelligence of those that bred with them. Still he couldn't understand why they didn't breed with more intelligent races. Though he personally would never couple with a goblin, he didn't see why there weren't more half blood goblin children out there. In fact children of goblins and wizards were highly intelligent and gifted with both forms of their parent's magic.

He hoped that goblin relations would better enough in the coming years for him to be able to learn magic weaving, he was interested in the old goblin art form and hoped to apply it to his own spells. He'd seen some old books that referenced it in the Malfoy Library, but he doubted that a goblin would be willing to teach him magic without anything in return. As it was, if he wished to learn spell weaving, he would have to break the law in turn and teach a goblin wizard magic. He actually had thought about learning Gobbledygook a time or two when he had been younger, but then the war had changed his plans. Draco frowned, realizing that he'd completely stopped following the book and sighed. "I won't learn anything from that one, try the one about phoenixes and their mates."

He laid back in the pillows and listened to Noxy read, he knew some elfish, but not enough to be fluent in it unfortunately. Centaurian customs were enough to make his head spin, even with the simplest of concepts. The most useful information was about gift giving, apparently the more dominant of the destined ones was supposed to give rocks of fire to the less dominant pair. Still the book made no mention of how dominance was decided, something that troubled Draco. He was worried that if he became the submissive mate, then Thunder would attempt to walk all over him, as much as a phoenix could walk all over a wizard. Draco was a strong and capable young wizard, a being that shouldn't have to answer to anyone or anything and the thought of doing so worried him. So far his veela nature had been quiet, lulled by finding his mate, but then it also seemed as though it was waiting for something to occur. Draco didn't like not knowing what was happening, he preferred to be aware of a situation at all times. Apparently like veelas submissive phoenixes could bare young and Draco briefly considered if the two species might share a common ancestor. He listened as the House Elf explained other aspects of courting and nest building. Draco was surprised at how detailed nest building could be, he supposed that Thunder would have to see him choose objects for their home, which meant that he'd likely have to get rid of most of the furniture in his wing of the manor.

Draco groaned at the thought of moving everything and putting it into storage, he liked the things in his wing of the manor, they had been there for his entire childhood. There were strong wards that had been in place when Draco was a child, but when he'd turned fourteen, his father had let him into the darker areas of the manor and started to teach him dark magic. Draco wished that he could stay focused on the book, normally he was very good at focusing at just one thing, but it seemed like he was incapable of doing so at the moment. He continued to listen to the House elf read, his thoughts becoming slower and more disjointed, until he started snore.

The House Elf chuckled putting the book away and tucking in the covers around Draco. "I was thinkings that it being much shorter time until you were fallings asleep. Still you are beings hard headidses." Noxy said before leaving the room quietly and disappearing with a soft pop.

For a while the only sound in the room was nasal snoring and small sleeping chuffs, until the phoenix opened his eyes. He glanced at his sleeping one and nuzzled his hand, before spreading his wings and taking off through an open window. It was wonderful to fly once more, to soar upon the air, as he was meant to. He let out a call of jubilation, as he flew upon the wind. He banked hard to avoid the trees, while he followed his inward compass, leading him to the nearest earth flame. He finally found one that was still living, the fire inside it still bright and dived near to the flames, without catching on fire. He found a rock outcropping and managed to pull a gleaming stone from out of the rock, he took it in his beak and flew away from the volcano, the firestone safely in his beak. Firestones were only to be given when an offer of mating was being made, they came from the very fires of the earth. As a mating began so would it end, when he lost his mate, he would throw himself into the primordial fire of a Volcano and his ash would join that of his ancestors.

Still Thunder as his mate had named him was still young yet and didn't wish to consider such things because of his youth. Despite being young and a nearly immortal being, he knew that life was as delicate as fire was, as long as it had food it would stay burning brightly, even at the end embers would cling, in the hopes of becoming a fire once more. Thunder had taken those embers and nurtured them, called them back to life with his song and his tears. Still they yet needed him and he would always be able to find the ones he saved. Their lives were part of him, the life bond strong and sure. When he or his master wanted them, they would come and be glad to assist them in helping to save others. Thunder knew that he may need a lot of help, as each time he used his tears, to save a life or heal someone who needed it desperately, the time he needed to spend between burnings would shorten by anywhere from a few minutes, to a day, or even a month for a really powerful burning. He had already chosen to bind his destined one's lifespan to his and that meant that the price was doubled each time. He needed to be careful and take on those that needed him only, or else he would pay the price. Thunder shuddered at the thought of the pain of his first birth, it had been agony and to go through that constantly as some old phoenixes did for a short time...It would be better to surrender himself to the fire.

Thunder flew back to the manor and placed the fire stone on his destined one's pillow. Thunder nuzzled the sleeping face for a moment, before flying off once more. He laughed delighted at the feeling of flight, at how his wings rose and fell and carried him through the sky. Still he flew ever closer to those that he had saved, he would always be able to find them, always know where they were. He flew first to the closest and cried for them, bringing them back to consciousness, but still they did not move. Thunder frowned and took a deep breath, the stink of magic was upon this place, there was nothing he could do for those gathered and others needed his aide. He flew next to the larger group of people, they seemed to be in a large wizard nest and everyone seemed shocked to see him, but gave him the deference that was do one of his kind. He flew to the rooms of those that he had saved, already their souls were firmly anchored into their body, the break between the bodies and the spirits mended by the wizard's magic, all that Thunder would have to do was to wake them. That was much easier then bringing them back had been, he'd had to pull deep within himself for that and he would have to burn again in five years time. He wondered briefly how far he was willing to go between burnings, to protect creatures that would live only one hundred and fifty cycles but no more. He himself had only seen two full crossings and was on his third. He didn't know how much pain he could stand, yet he would finish what he started. They were in different rooms however and he didn't like going through the doors wizards favored, he found a seat for himself on an owl's perch located in the ceiling of the wizard nest.

"Have you come to heal them?" Someone asked and Thunder nodded slowly, before pointing his beak downward. "You want us to bring them here?" The man asked and Thunder smiled, he wore the green of healing that these mortals favored, he was a kindred soul to Thunder. Slowly Thunder inclined his head, but made a gesture with his claw. "Do you want us to not be in the room as you heal them?" The man asked and Thunder nodded, as a Phoenix he was impervious to the spells of lesser beings, but their concoctions still effected him and he would not wish to risk being imprisoned and kept from his destined one. Those that did so were horrific creatures, but everything was desperate for life, however they might take it.

"We'll bring them to you, would you take those that are badly injured as well?" The healer asked and Thunder shook his head, he had already sacrificed enough for these wizards and they would demand more of his time, more time spent free from burning? They were truly a greedy species and deserved their short and petty lives. He didn't understand how his destined one could be one of those mud dwellers, who were not even worthy of a sight of him. Yet still he felt oddly protective of the wizards, he supposed that it was in his nature to behave protectively towards all creatures. He was after all, a caretaker of this world, as were all creatures, though some had forgotten that.

He watched as his people were set on the floor, he could not save those that had their souls ripped, only a Phoenix and his destined one could withstand that. Still he had brought back those he could and they were there before him. He sang, spreading out his wings and cried for those that had come to him, careful to have the tears land where he intended. He smiled as they stirred, rubbing at their eyes and looking confused. He liked watching them, some were cute when they woke up, yawning and rubbing at their eyes, and others looked around frantically groping at their robes and finding only pajamas. They then leapt from the beds, those that were older surrounding the younger, creating a shield with their bodies.

"Where are we?" A man demanded.

"Dad?" A young man asked. "That's my Dad! He wouldn't be here if it wasn't safe!"

"Be quiet Fred, they could all be deatheaters in disguise."

"All of them? Yeah like that's likely, like there's enough polijuice in the United Kingdom for all these people. I highly doubt that's true." A young boy spoke and several people sighed.

"I understand that your Gryffindor, that you can be overly brave, but perhaps a more intelligent approach to this situation would be in order. We should not go rushing into a situation that is over...Do I smell bacon? Bacon! Bacon! Give me bacon!" The girl said and started to growl, as another looked terrified, as she sniffed the air.

"Oh no, Greyback, he bit me!" The girl said and seemed to crumple in on herself, several others looked sickened as well, while more took several steps away from those that had been bitten.

"Whatever has happened, its clear that these people aren't disguised, even death eaters wouldn't risk infection by werewolves to lure us into a trap." Another man said and everyone stared at him.

"Well you would know all about that wouldn't you Snape?"

"Do not you dare presume to talk to me like that boy, do you truly understand the finer points of battle strategy? Do you understand what it is to make a choice at seventeen years of age and be shaped by it for the rest of your life. Never to have anyone trust you, because of the house you came from, do you understand what it is like to be treated as a second-class citizen, because of your blood and the mark you bare? Well do you, because if you can understand that, perhaps you may understand one tenth of I went through. I am an oath breaker, not once, but twice, even though they were not unbreakable vows, they were vows I took seriously, both times I swore them. You do not understand what it is like to constantly search for a place you belong and be denied it again and again. Until you stop searching, give up on any hope of ever being accepted, but despite the fact that everyone despises you, you still want to save as many as you can. There is nothing you can do to hold back the tide of war, once it engulfs you yet again. Still even though they do not trust you, you have people you admire on both sides of the war and you face a terrible choice, no matter which way you turn. Above all you never give up hoping that perhaps one day they may surprise you and be true to you, as much as you could be to them. That perhaps they would see the world as you see it, for just a moment and try to make it better. Still you know if they ever come to see it that way, it will be after your death, for spies that turn on both masters seldom survive. You do not care and are willing to make the sacrifice for them, despite everything that they have done to you. For you can see the beauty of them, in the eyes of a long dead woman, the only woman who let you belong for a short time, to her, as she belonged to you. In all my life I have ever truly been happy for six years, the years in which I could call Lily Evans friend. So do not presume to criticize my choices, not unless you have made them yourself and come out the other side. Do what you will with me, but know that I regret none of it, for I did the best I could with the hand life delt me. Others might have better cards, but I was not so lucky"

Thunder frowned, that man's voice was familiar somehow, as had been the red headed young man. After the man's speech there was silence, a silence that filled the room and spoke much that it did not say. Thunder truly looked at the people for the first time and he recognized several of them, somehow he had seen them before, but he had no idea of how.

He felt confused and alighted on one of the perches, trying to calm his heart, which seemed to be pounding out of his chest. He felt a fire starting to burn and he panicked. What was this fire, what were the things he was seeing, of black robes, of a castle, of people that had understood him and followed him. He saw them then, as more and more people came into the room, the two of them standing grief stricken and he knew their faces, as well as he knew that of his destined one. He let out an anguished scream and almost fell to the ground. Everything was agony, it hurt all over, and by all the forces of nature it hurt. He screamed and screamed, as he caught on fire and was once again caught up in the flames, until finally everything ceased and he fell into sweet oblivion.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Harry awoke slowly, he felt horrible, he ached all over and it felt like someone had cast a blasting hex at his head. He groaned, then everything came back to him and he smiled. He was proud and he should be, he was a beautiful creature after all and now he had countless years in front of him. He slowly opened his eyes and frowned as a curtain of blond hair obscured his vision. He realized then that his destined one slept next to him and he smiled, content despite the pain with simply having Draco beside him. He then laughed at the thought of how strange that sentence would have sounded a short time ago.

"You're awake, that is good." A cultured voice said and Harry frowned a moment, before remembering that it belonged to Lucius Malfoy. His memories tumbled together, the ones of the dangerous enemy and the caring man he had glimpsed as a phoenix at odds with each other. "Don't worry, confusion is natural and you're recovering much faster then I had hoped. Not much is known about your kind, phoenixes tend to be a secretive race, more so then most in fact. I thought that it might be best if you were with Draco when you awoke. In any event my son is more likely to allow himself to recover when you are near. What do you know of veela Mr. Potter?"

"Veela?" Harry said confused, what was a veela? Then images of beautiful creatures came to his mind and he frowned, as his head started to ache.

"Don't try so hard, your instincts are at odds with each other, it will come back in time. I remember the first time I transformed; it was a few days before I got all my memories back. Take it easy and for once in your life, do try not to rush." Lucius advised. "I'm also here because I'm the only one that can understand some of what you are going through, that has a vested interest in telling you the truth and ensuring that you understand and use what I am saying. In fact as I pointed out to those filthy friends of yours..."

"Don't insult my friends."

"Well I am sorry, but they do stink terribly, you would be able to tell if you but scented them." Lucius said and waved his hand about. "No matter, the fact remains that my son's life is in danger, from your ignorance."

"How?"

"Do not make any move as though to reject him, or what he says to you, until after you have completed your bond. It is important that you accept everything he is and everything that he tells you, otherwise he might go into dispario, which might be reversed if you realize your mistake and correct it. Yet considering the intelligence..."

"Do not insult my intelligence!" Harry said angrily. "I liked you better when I was Thunder."

"As did I you, but we can't all live life and act according to how much we like people. Otherwise nothing would get done and the world would fall to anarchy."

"I thought you liked anarchy."

"Not total anarchy, total anarchy would be no good to anyone, no a little bit of anarchy is good for this world and helps to maintain the balance. A lot of anarchy on the other hand..." Lucius said and Harry stared at him, at the word balance that knowing had come back, telling him that Lucius was right and there was in fact a balance to all things.

"I get it, you wanted to flip the balance, but still have it be balanced all the same." Harry said and Lucius smiled.

"Exactly, the way the laws are now, if we abolished the restrictions on magical creatures and applied them to Muggleborns and unclean sympathizers, the balance would remain and our population would prosper for the changes, not to mention the cultures and customs that we would share with one another, as it used to be. Before the other houses saw fit to educate the masses and have the balance upset every other year, as the Muggleborns try to pass another ridiculous law, that gives them more power and makes our world more like theirs. They clearly don't understand that while we share a planet, the two worlds are very different."

"That wouldn't solve anything, in a few centuries the Muggleborns would revolt and rise up against those that oppressed them."

"And be crushed easily enough, its the exact same thing that's being done with the sentient magical races, or would you enjoy being called a magical creature? I feel that I am not a creature and should not be called, or treated as such. Yes rebellions do occur, but they can always be beaten down again easily enough, its happened enough time in our centuries. Or do you believe that Dark Lords exist only to get power, if they merely wanted power, don't you think they would be better served in going into politics?" He said and Harry stared at him in shock. "You see only light, that is what Dumbledore made sure of, while my son sees a world of grey, though he chose the shadows, over the so called light. The light in this case is no better then the dark, it is just a force of nature." He said and Harry nodded, what Lucius said made sense to him, as Harry he would have been screaming, railing at Lucius in anger and fear. Harry wanted to reject every word Lucius said, yet the primordial knowledge of his other self, helped him to realize what Lucius was saying and appreciate his words. That is not to say that he instantly believed every word Lucius Malfoy spoke, far from it in fact. He remembered how he hated the man, when he had just been Harry Potter. The ridiculousness of that fact caused him to laugh, long and hard.

"Stop moving pillow." Draco muttered and Harry smiled, though he felt slightly irked at Draco's command, but he forgave his destined one in the next moment, for he was too adorable like this to truly be angry at. He ran a hand through the shoulder length blond curls.

"Very well my One, I shall do as you ask." Harry said.

"Stop talking." Draco complained. "Sleepy."

"You have given me two orders in quick succession, I do not appreciate being ordered about. I have had my fill of orders and people telling me what to do, because they believe it best. I am just as strong as you are, stronger maybe and the only reason I have humored you thus far, is that I wish for us to be bonded in truth. Still as I am a man now, I see clearly that you need my acceptance, as much as I need yours. Therefore you cannot order me about with impunity." Harry said and frowned, where had those words come from? Why had he spoken them, they didn't sound like him at all.

"I believe you insulted Harry's pride Draco, perhaps an apology would be in order."

"Sorry Harry, please can I sleep more?" Draco said Harry smiled.

"Yes, we'll be quiet." He said and kissed Draco's forehead. "Though I'd rather sit up."

"Not until you fully recover from the burning you had to do, in order to return to this form. I have already taken the liberty of talking with the Headmistress and inquiring if she could train you to become an animargus, therefore making the transition easier and less painful. There are not a lot of records in regards to what you are, as you are so very rare. Still I believe with the heart of a phoenix, there is nothing else that you could transform into."

"Do I look any different Lucius?" Harry asked and Lucius nodded.

"The changes are not unappealing, you may have a mirror if you so wish." Lucius said and Harry nodded, he stared at the face he saw, when Lucius gave him the mirror. It was clearly his face, but gone was his black hair; instead his hair was wrapped in a head cloth.

"Why do I have this on?"

"Because the bed sheets would burn if it wasn't, that head cloth is enchanted to withstand the fire from your hair."

"My hair is on fire?"

"No, your hair is the fire, while in Phoenix form you have several more layers of skin then wizards do, between the thickest of these two layers your eternal flame resides Your feathers are strong enough to withstand any attack and therefore there is no risk of the first layer being broken. If by some fluke the first layer were broken, it would cause an explosion large enough to level the main street of Diagon Alley. Therefore no one in their right mind is willing to risk such a thing. In human form however, you cannot have as many layers of skin protecting you and so your body adapts, causing fire to flare where the hair usually grows. I have yet to buy fireproof sheets for this bed and so I bought the entire stock of Saint Mungos bandages and have Draco wrap them around you, as he is your mate and the only one apart from you that your fire will not burn." Lucius said and Harry stared at him.

"My junk is on fire?" He demanded and Lucius burst out laughing, eventually he calmed down enough to merely chuckle, before nodding.

"Yes, I suppose you could state it that way, though as a phoenix you would be adverse to mating with anyone that is not your mate, at any rate." He said and Harry shuddered at the thought of being with Ginny. He had loved Ginny, he still loved her, but he couldn't imagine being with her anymore. Every time he tried his mind kept returning to eyes of silver and hair of moonlight.

"Too right." Harry said and shuddered again at the thought. It would be so wrong to betray his destined one in such a way. "How should I phrase this, my kind has another term, other than mate which we call those that are our mates."

"Really what is it?" Lucius asked and Harry frowned, as he felt that he shouldn't trust such information to Lucius.

"Nothing, never mind." Harry said and Lucius frowned. "Where did I get this sense of wisdom from, this sort of guiding presence?"

"That is your instinct, always try to follow it, it seldom leads you wrong." Lucius advised. " However you do need to still try to act at least somewhat human, others are unnerved if you do not and those that fear magical creatures would also fear you."

"Then what about when Draco was hurt by the Hippogryph, wouldn't he have known better?"

"No, most likely my son thought himself to be superior, although Hippogryphs are intelligent, they aren't as intelligent as the magical races as we call ourselves. Therefore we see the other creatures as our responsibility, we take care of them and expect respect from them. That Hippogryph was highly impertinent in even daring to think of harming my son." Lucius said and Harry frowned.

"So even with magical cre...Magical races, there are hierarchies?"

"Of course, veela are very powerful creatures, because we can simply charm others into doing and thinking what we want. A veela that has its mate can still attract others to it and get them to do what they want as well, regardless of whether or not they prefer the veela's gender when they look for sexual partners. Our family has thrived because of this for years; occasionally marrying veelas again to insure the blood stays true. Other families have magical traditions of their own, for some unknown reason its a right of passage in the Crabbe and Goyle families to mate with a troll at one's coming of age."

"They do what?" Harry asked remembering the troll.

"The trolls enjoy it just as much as the wizards do apparently, though admittedly they are somewhat sedated, they still tend to come when anyone of the family line bellows."

"That's...Thats..."

"A tradition for that family, each wizard family has their own traditions, as well as the ones common to our race as a group, though there are few of those anymore. For example your friends the Weasleys give you sweaters and sweets, because they consider you to be part of their family. Both the Weasley and Prewitt lines once boasted a proud and noble history of marrying Furies, who were creatures of fire and family. There isn't enough Fury blood left in the Weasleys for them to light flames around them, but they still find family to be important, regardless of how many generations have passed. By giving you sweaters to keep you warm and food to nourish you, Mrs. Weasley was instinctively caring for you as a chick. Once a chick is accepted by a fury, the fury considers them to be their chick for the rest of their lives. So despite not marrying their daughter, the others in that family will still consider you a nest mate, even though they might know why." He said and Harry frowned.

"That just confused me." Harry said and Lucius smiled.

"Very well, you may not be the most receptive towards conversation at the moment, so I will say one thing, clear and simple. Blood will out, blood always shows itself eventually, even if the mating took place thousands of years ago, some traits of the magical creature, or creatures will still be there. That is why Muggleborns are at their heart so dangerous, we have no idea of what they are capable of, as you yourself proved."

"So you don't believe that Muggleborns steal the magic of wizards."

"Hardly, do I look like a complete fool? No they are part and parcel of the stupidity of wizards and the biggest culprits are the Purebloods. We unleash Squibs on to the unsuspecting Muggle populace; those squibs find each other, drawn to one another's differences. The squibs produce more squibs, which produce more squibs, until finally a child is born that inherits enough magical ability to be a danger if they are not trained."

"So you think we should train Muggleborns?"

"Yes, just enough to stop them from loosing control, we should not however welcome them into our society."

"But Hermione is my friend and she's Muggleborn, my mom was Muggleborn and I might as well be. In your perfect world I'd be one of the ones that wasn't welcome."

"No, for the simple reason that you will bare my heirs."

"Yeah that's likely, I'm not getting preggers for you, or anyone else."

"If you don't Draco will have to." Lucius said and Harry stared at him. "Still its yet to be determined which of you is dominant, so this is a moot point. Unless of course you would be willing to surrender dominance to my son."

"No." Harry said surprised at how forcefully he said it. "No I can't."

"Your instincts should be strong, but with time and training you can learn to listen to them, while not letting them rule you." Lucius said and Harry smiled, before nodding.

"Its about balance right?"

"Exactly." Lucius said and smiled at Harry.

"So um, do I always have to have my hair covered?"

"Well Severus has agreed to make you some flame protectorate, but you would have to apply it every hour in order to make sure it stays on." Lucius said and Harry frowned, self consciously rubbing a hand to his hair. "No don't touch the cloth, that bed is an antique."

"So I'm really going to have to wear a nightcap?" Harry asked and sighed.

"Why wouldn't you, there are many that are specially charmed, in fact many wizards wear them, they are really quite useful."

"Draco doesn't, it will look stupid." Harry protested.

"That's because Draco doesn't move much in his sleep. Though he does snore he doesn't talk, if he did, he'd wear a nightcap."

"Why?"

"Why to prevent him from transforming of course." Lucius said and Harry stared at him.

"You can do that?"

"Well yes, but you can't, or at least we think you can't. We really can't be sure."

"Then you mean to tell me that I could have a nightmare and cause the bed to go up in flames?"

"You can't, now that your in this shape, we believe your locked into it, until you can master an animargus transformation." Lucius said and Harry rubbed his temples, watching Draco's eyebrows furrow. "You should eat something and try to drink your potions." Lucius said and pulled out his wand. "Solumnus." He said and pointed at Draco, who sighed and nuzzled against Harry's chest. "He should sleep for a while longer now, without you having to worry about waking him."

Harry briefly wondered if that had been necessary but decided not to say anything as he moved the pillows behind him, before slowly moving up to a sitting position. Noxy appeared and handed him a platter full of just about every kind of meat Harry had ever seen, asparagus and potatoes.

"You need to eat lots of protein, after you flame. Like fire needs kindling, you need meat."

"I don't think I can eat all this."

"Your metabolism will be in overdrive now, its all part of being a phoenix." Lucius reassured and Harry stared at the plate, before holding it in one hand and spearing at meats with the other. It was a bit difficult to manage with Draco on his lap. "How thoughtless of me, you don't have a wand do you?" Lucius asked and Harry's plate was floating within easy reach. Harry picked up the knife and fork, before cutting at his meat and slowly eating his meal. "You have very good table manners."

"Thank you, the people who raised me insisted on it." Harry replied and took a mouthful of salmon; he liked the taste, which was kind of surprising since he'd never had it before. Hogwarts didn't tend to serve a lot of fancy food, except on feast days and the thought of the Dursleys giving him salmon was laughable. Still it was nice, he continued to eat, finding that he really enjoyed seafood, although most of the food he had was slightly burnt, he found he liked the smokey flavor of the chard food and that it brought out the flavors more. He continued to eat and was somewhat surprised when he speared the last bite of sausage. "Will I always have to eat like that?"

"Depends on the magic you expend, most probably you'll only need two helpings to feel full most of the time." Lucius said and Harry nodded. "The healers wanted to know if you'd be interested in apprenticing with them."

"I always thought I'd be an Auror." Harry said. "Though that might not be the best thing, considering that my hair would stand out, can I even use Polijuice?"

"I'm not sure that would be a good idea, while polijuice is a powerful glamour potion, no one is really sure what the effects on you would be."

"I see and a lot of people have been discussing me?" Harry asked and Lucius frowned.

"You don't like being discussed, I thought from what Draco told me, you like being the center of attention." Lucius said and Harry laughed.

"Hardly, however admittedly Malfoy baiting was my favorite sport in school. Still Draco was equally good at getting me to loose my temper." Harry said and Lucius smiled.

"Ah yes, the schoolboy rivalry, I remember mine well. In fact I still can't stand Arthur Weasley. He was four years ahead of me in school, but there has been a rivalry between our families that goes back generations." Lucius said and shrugged elegantly. "By the time he graduated, I'd started dating Narcissia, I think that everyone is attracted to their soul mate at some point, they simply don't realize it mostly. I received Severus as my protégée when I was in sixth year."

"Protégée?"

"That's right I forgot that the other houses don't have them, in Slytherin each new student is assigned to a sixth year and they mentor them until graduation. Naturally do to the relationship and if they are matched correctly, they keep in contact for years. It is a way to arrange for business contacts and form strong magical ties to the community in which we live. Though most of Slytherin House is Pureblood and so many already know one another, before they even get accepted into Slytherin. Most people don't tend to notice the first years when they are in sixth year, so it is also to ensure that our students are doing well."

"It sounds like a good system." Harry said and frowned. "Should the room be blurry?"

"Side effect of one of the potions you took, you must be allergic to one of the ingredients."

"What I've never...been aler...allergic bef..." He trailed off his eyes sliding shut of their own accord.

"I am sorry, but you shouldn't move before you are truly recovered." Lucius said, before Harry was thrown into darkness.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

He awoke later and frowned as he opened his eyes and saw Draco staring down at him, from a close distance away. He moved back too quick and wound up cracking heads with Draco. "Ow!" He said.

"Bloody hell Potter." Draco said.

"Its just slightly creepy to wake up and have you staring at me like that, was I snoring or something?"

"No but you do tend to talk in your sleep. Do you really want me to wear a wedding dress? I mean I will if you will, I think you'd look good in a dress." Draco said and Harry smiled.

"Draco?"

"Yes, what is it, do you need anything, because I can get the House Elf."

"There's no need to be nervous, we need each other."

"Perhaps Potter I want more out of life then a partner that 'needs me'. Perhaps I don't know, I'd like it if you actually like me."

"Maybe I will, once we get to know each other better. We know a bit about each other, such as I know that you tend to try to not a big deal of your emotions and most likely won't like discussing them with me."

"How do you know that?"

"Because of the bathroom in sixth year, did I ever actually apologize for that."

"I doubt you did so and meant it, it's alright the scars healed with my transformation and I was about to cast Crucio on you anyway. I remember your face and know you never meant to cast such a horrible curse on me. However it was very stupid of you to cast magic at another person, without the effect of the magic your casting being known to you."

"It said for enemies."

"Yes, but that could have meant anything, from a simple lets make X's skin glow green, to a death spell."

"There are more death spells then the killing curse?"

"Yes but the killing curse is the most final and easy to cast." Draco said. "Still hit someone with a severing curse the right way and their death will be much more agonizing then if you used a simple killing curse." He said and Harry frowned, before deciding to drop the subject.

"Hey your Father drugged me."

"Yes well he tends to do that often to those he cares about, mostly when we're being stupid and not letting ourselves heal enough. Most of our family and friends know not to trust the potions he gives us."

"Then why does he do it?"

"Because he can get away with it, we're kind of stuck with him and Father is really protective of those that align themselves to him. Though admittedly Mr. Goyle and Mr. Crabbe fall for it more often."

"That's really weird, you know that right?" Harry asked and Draco shrugged.

"Its just Father, Slytherins will do any means necessary to get what they want." Draco said. "Its a common fact, some might consider it a personality flaw, but in Slytherin such behavior is encouraged and you leave school knowing that no matter what happens, you will get what you want out of life. You just have to stick with it and out stubborn, out smart and out play those around you."

"Out play?"

"Of course, you can get the rest of the other houses for the first two, the last however would be the other Slytherins, who are your greatest competition." Draco said and Harry stared at him.

"Well compared to that, Gryffindor was easy, even with me trying to stop Voldemort."

"Right because between a murderous Dark Lord and a group of young adults, I'd pick the murderous Dark Lord. Just so we're clear, I'm very good at this game we call life, care to wager?"

"Game called life?" Harry asked. "Life isn't a game, it's a way of keeping ahead of your enemies, as far as you can, for as long as you can."

"Wow Potter you can really be a downer sometimes." Draco said and relaxed back against the pillow. "Though considering what you went through, I can see why you think that way."

"That's ever so encouraging." Harry said and sighed sitting fully upright and taking off the headscarf, before scratching at his hair.

"Careful of the...Its gone back to black, sure its streaked and looks a bit like flame, but its died down quite a bit from before."

"Really?" Harry asked and looked into the mirror. "Wow that's great!"

"Potter you are an imbecile." Draco said and Harry stared at his hair aghast as it roared back to flame, sticking up on end. "Just as easy to provoke as ever, eh Potter?"

"Maybe we should call each other by our first names, we are going to be married soon after all. Wait who will have to change their name?"

"Generally speaking the submissive does, but since you are the heir to two Lordships, maybe we should have three children and name them respectively."

"Except that one of us would have to be pregnant three times and I don't fancy that."

"Actually we could have three babies at once, but that's a moot point until we mate in truth, according to our species. I suppose that giant rock was an offering for me to accept your courtship?"

Harry frowned a moment, before his instincts flared and he bobbed his head up and down. "Yeah I think."

"Do try to have a modicum of restraint Po-Harry." Draco said and Harry laughed.

"Why, when it annoys you so much?"

"Perhaps its better not to get on one another's nerves and push one another's buttons?"

"Why not, I mean I don't really see the harm, Hermione and Ron bicker all the time."

"Yes well I'd prefer not to bicker all the time, family life should be idyllic from the outside, if it isn't from the inside."

"What could possibly wrong with your family life?" Harry demanded. "Anyway if its something we both enjoy, what could be the harm?"

"The harm is that our children will pick it up from us and go to far because they're kids." Draco said.

"Yes well I want kids eventually, but I want to get my life sorted first. After all I'd hate to have kids and not know how to control my little fiery problem." Harry said and Draco laughed.

"Well that shouldn't be a problem, your fire won't hurt our kids, because they would be part of us. For the rest of it, I'm not quite ready to have kids either, but we don't want to wait too long, because Mother will never let us hear the end of it until we have them, if we keep her waiting." Draco said and Harry smiled.

"I'd like to get to know your Mum better, your Dad is a little weird, but he seems cool enough."

"My Father is a pureblood wizard and my Mother is a pureblood witch, there are certain aspects to our society that might seem strange to you, because you weren't raised in it."

"That's alright, I'm used to strange, in fact I'd be a bit put out if the bugger didn't come knocking at my door so to speak. I mean really who in the world does all the stuff that's happened to me, happen to?"

"Harry Potter." Draco said and Harry cuffed him lightly on the shoulder, before he got a hard punch to his face. "Don't hit me Potter! Never hit me."

"Bloody hell Draco, I think you broke my nose and it was just a light slap. I mean really don't you purebloods ever jokingly hit one another?"

"No we don't and really how stupid is it to do that? What does it accomplish?"

"Its just a kind of, your alright gesture I guess, can't say for certain. Quite frankly I've never thought of it."

"Let me see your nose." Draco said and took out his wand.

"Why so you can do more damage, no thanks." Harry said and frowned. "What happened to my wand anyway?"

"Apparently it burned in the fire you started when you changed to a phoenix for the first time."

"I liked that wand." Harry said and Draco nodded.

"Nothing is like your first wand, even though you gave mine back to me, it wasn't ever really the same afterward. I had to get another one from a wand shop in Germany, it actually suits me much better. Still you get attached to your first wand don't you, My Dad still keeps his in his bedside table."

"You mean that cane wasn't his first?"

"Course not, only Lords of Houses can have canes and they are called staffs, not canes. Staffs are more powerful then wands, because they are longer and tend to carry more magic...Episkey." Draco said and Harry frowned at him, before gently checking his nose. "Here have one of my handkerchiefs, I have plenty." Draco said and handed an embroidered handkerchief to Harry. "They are self cleaning, if you want we can get some, as well as update your wardrobe. I happen to like looking good and thanks to Mother know all the latest fashions."

"Which would catch fire the second they are on me." Harry said.

"Not if we get them lined in dragon leather, or have a fireproofing spell placed both inside and outside of them."

"Just realized that other then the bandages, I'm not really wearing anything am I?" Harry asked and Draco looked wide-eyed. "I mean I'm not shy, being in a dorm room for seven years tends to stop a bloke from being shy. Still this whole thing between us is pretty new and I don't feel entirely comfortable." Harry said and frowned. "And I need to use the loo, where is it?"

"Just head for that door." Draco said and Harry nodded, standing and frowning slightly.

"I look like a bloody Mummy, or a accident victim." Harry said and Draco laughed, as Harry made his way to the bathroom. He unwrapped the bandage around his hips and stared down at himself. It looked like his cock was on fire, he stared at it, a bit freaked out about it, but it felt fine. He wondered briefly what Malfoy would think of that, before the fire on him grew and started to send off sparks, as he grew slightly aroused. Harry frowned, he had no desire to burn their bed, when they were ready to be together as a couple. He wondered if there might be a potion that helped with his flames. He used the bathroom and retied the bandage around himself. "Do you think I could wear clothes, just to get me to a clothing store that can put the spells I need on what clothing I buy?"

"You should rest for a few more days, Father said that after using a fair amount of magic, phoenixes tend to do nothing but hunt, eat and sleep for the next several days."

"Well I've never been all that great at resting."

"Too bad that you're married to the champion of sleeping in." Draco said and Harry laughed.

"Yeah well I suppose you need your beauty sleep." Harry said and Draco nodded.

"Otherwise I look a fright, my skin is not the type to withstand little sleep, it makes me look like a inferni and feel like clawing someone's eyes out."

"Alright then, we'll have to make sure you get enough shut eye then, won't we luv?" Harry asked teasingly and regretted it.

"You love me?" Draco asked.

"Not yet, you?"

"No, I don't know you and well I'm taking a potion to suppress my veela so I can get to know you."

"That sounds dangerous."

"Not really, I've been taking it for over a year now, since my seventeenth birthday, it makes me think like a wizard instead of like a veela."

"Sounds to me as though when you go off it, the veela could be stronger then ever."

"It could be, but I wanted to win my mate without allure and if my veela side wasn't suppressed, I don't think I could stop myself from using it on you."

"Your very alluring all on your own Draco, but I don't want my...our first time together to be when we don't love each other. I'd feel as though I'd be taking advantage of the bond between us, though my phoenix is yelling at me to grab that fine ass."

"Who's to say Potter, it might be your ass I'm grabbing."

"Is there anyway to determine dominance?" Harry asked and Draco frowned.

"Not without stopping the potion, in any event I'd rather get to know you, before my veela takes over and claims you." Draco said and Harry smiled.

"So there's a Muggle game, called twenty questions, want to drink with me and play?"

"Why not, its not like I'm going anywhere, I always keep a bottle of fire whiskey and some glasses in a trap door I made over winter break one year." Draco said. "Its right under the left corner of the bed." He said and Harry nodded, before finding the whiskey and two glasses, he filled both and handed one to Draco, before draining it. It tasted sweet to Harry, without that much of a burn and it felt comforting.

"Its better to sip at, but when in Atlantis..." Draco said and slammed back the shot. Harry poured another two and turned to Draco.

"So the game is simple, I'll ask a question and if you don't want to answer it, you take a shot." Harry said. "No question can be asked twice."

"Sounds fair, so who goes first?"

"I will." Harry said and smiled. "Lets get an easy one out of the way, what's your favorite color?"

"Emerald green, now, before that it was blue. What's your favorite color."

"You can't return a question with a question, I have always liked red, not a deep Gryffindor red, but the red you see in the flames sometimes, if you stare long enough. When I was young, my family didn't have a fireplace, but my neighbor was a squib and she had one. I used to go over to her house and stare at the fire for ages. So favorite book?"

"When I was a kid, or now?"

"Either?"

"When I was a kid I liked the Many Adventures of Merlin. Most likely most of them weren't things that Merlin actually ever did, but I wanted to be a great wizard like Merlin. When I got older my favorite book became one hundred and one potions, I know how to brew all the potions in the book now. So what are you thinking of doing now that you can't become an auror?"

"Well I can't work in Saint Mungos, not without everyone asking me to help this person, or that person. I want to help people, but I'm not big on self-sacrifice or pain. I mean if I need to do it, I will, but I'd much prefer to keep living and having a life I can enjoy."

"That's fair enough." Draco said. "No one would blame you if you wanted to live your life that way Harry."

"Thanks, I think the only reason they want me is to use me at any rate and I hate being used."

"Well your Harry Potter, people will be trying to use you for the rest of your life, but they will have to come through me, my family and our allies now." Draco said.

"You said earlier that your Dad is protective of people who align themselves with him, is there more to that then your telling me?"

"Pass." Draco said and gulped back a shot. "Have you ever had sex with anyone?"

Harry stared at him taken aback for a second, but he'd known this question would come eventually. "No, have you?"

"You never did it, even with a madman on your heels?"

"That's another question Draco, now answer mine."

"Fine, I've done it once, the first time was with Pansy, which made her even more clingy then before and was too much effort to bother with again. It was when I was sixteen and going through a bad time, before my Father told me of my heritage, otherwise I would have saved myself for you." Draco said and Harry frowned.

"Its not like we didn't have lives before we knew each other and do you really want me to answer that question, or do you want to ask another?"

"Can you answer the one I asked?"

"Well I just kind of thought that it would be unfair to the girl I was with, if I got romantically involved with them and I died. I mean I wasn't expecting survive to my eighteenth birthday, not with Voldemort and most of the wizard world after me. I also didn't want to get that close to someone, because I was worried about endangering them. After the war, Ginny and I agreed to wait until she finished Hogwarts."

"Saint Potter strikes again." Draco said and Harry smiled.

"So what's your favorite Qudditch team?"

"I like the Kestrels, Hogarth Harlsley is magic on a broom." Draco said.

"Should I be worried?" Harry joked.

"No questions twice Harry, now who's your favorite Qudditch team?"

"Haven't watched enough games to have a favorite."

"You haven't?" Draco asked looking as though that was a crime against humanity or something.

"Question Draco," Harry reminded. "Its my turn to ask. So what was your favorite subject in school and why."

"Technically that's two questions, but I loved potions. Not just because my Godfather was the teacher, but also because there's something about making them fascinates me. I love the way they come together under my hands and how if you do it just right, it will be perfect every time. So why haven't you watched enough Quidditch games?"

"I was raised by Muggles and I had to stay there every summer to maintain the blood wards, that gave me and their family protection. When I could go to the Weasleys they were too poor to go to the games and I didn't want to make them feel bad by offering to take them. We used to listen on the wireless and it was wicked, but not the same as seeing a game, you know."

"Yeah I do, we've got to go to a game sometime together."

"Alright its a date." Harry said and both boys blushed. Harry cleared his throat somewhat uncomfortably. "So do you cook then?"

"The Houselves tend to cook, its considered a faux pas to do something so plebian as cooking, within a wizard household. Do you cook?"

"Yes and I love it, I'm afraid that I won't be able to give it up, just because its uncouth to cook. So what's your favorite song?"

"Pass." Draco said and blushed, before taking another shot. "Is there any question you don't want me to ask?"

"Pass." Harry said and drank a shot, no way was he talking with Draco about his relatives. "Other then the manor, did you spend time anywhere else growing up?"

"I used to go to France the most, but I've really been all over Europe and my Father took me to India once, when my Mother had a intensive course with a client. So why don't you want me to ask you that question?"

"That's kind of asking the same question twice, you want to get me drunk, don't you Draco?" Harry teased and Draco nodded.

"Only fair after all, your getting me hammered."

"Then answer more of my questions, pass." Harry said and took a sip of the shot, this time allowing himself to savor the taste slightly. "So what does your Mother do?"

"She teaches comportment to Pureblood families, or those marrying into Pureblood families. When I was little she used to have classes for kids my age, to help foster bonds between me and my peers." Draco said and smiled. "So other then Ginny, who did you have a crush on at school?"

"Cho Chang and looking back I might have been a bit taken with Cedric Diggery." Harry said and Draco nodded.

"Diggery was quite handsome." He agreed and Harry frowned.

"Can we change the subject?"

"Of course, what is your favorite food?"

"Pizza, or fish and chips." Harry said.

"What are those things, they don't sound appetizing."

"I'll have to make them for you sometime, since you took my question as literal, I'll do the same for you and ask two in return. Fish and chips are beer battered fish that is then fried with potatoes cut into small strips. As for pizza, is round shaped dough, covered with sauce and toppings, but the main ingredient for traditional pizza is tomato sauce and cheese. I used to make them for the Dursleys sometimes. So what animal did you want most as a pet when you were a kid?"

"I wanted a puppy, but Father pointed out that I wouldn't be allowed to take it to Hogwarts with me and bought me Twigs instead, when he was just this fuzzy owlet."

"I see and would you still want a puppy?"

"Puppies aren't practical, I'd rather get a magical pet that could do something, if I wanted to buy a pet that is. So what was your favorite subject in school?"

"Defense, but you knew that, my least favorite was divination, though making up ways I'd meet a terrible end was fun and oddly enough I got good marks in that class, but I didn't do as well on the practical."

"If you don't have the sight, divination is a waste of time."

"I guess that's true, so what's your favorite movie?"

"I don't know what a movie is, I guess I'll have to pass since I can't answer that."

"You don't know what a...Oh that's right wizards don't have telly."

"I don't know what a telly is." Draco said.

"Oh its short for television, its a screen that Muggles use to make moving, talking pictures on. Sort of like wizard photographs, but a lot longer and in depth."

"So what is your favorite kind of Movie?" Draco asked.

"I like action films the best, but comedies are good too." Harry replied and watched as Draco drank more of the fire whiskey. "So why don't you want to answer my questions?"

"Pass." Draco said and took a shot of fire whiskey. "What was your favorite present as a kid?"

"Depends on what you mean by kid, I mean I'd still consider a thirteen year old to be a kid."

"That's fine, I assume it was your firebolt?"

"Yeah that was wicked, now I love it because my Godfather gave it...It got destroyed didn't it, in the fire, along with everything else?"

"Actually although the room you were sleeping in was pretty badly damaged, most of the rest of the house was fine, as long as you didn't keep it in your room, it should have made it out alright."

"Well that's good news at least." Harry said. "Guess it's your turn then, if we're playing by the rule that when you ask a question in your answer it is your question.

"I kind of like it that way, its more fun." Draco said and belched. "Pardon me."

"Its fine." Harry said, as he watched Draco recline against the bedpost.

"If I asked you, would you kiss me?" Draco asked and Harry stared at him, his words were slightly slurred and his eyes weren't as bright as they seemed to.

"Depends on when, not right now, not while your drunk, but maybe later." Harry said and Draco smiled.

"Later then, I'll ask you and you'll kiss me."

"Depends how I'm feeling, how drunk are you Draco?"

"Been more wasted before, this game is fun." He replied. "Would you really like me to wear a dress?"

"Not if you didn't want to, but I think you'd look sexy as hell in a kilt. I saw this guy while I was on the run wearing one and he looked really hot." Harry said and smiled at Draco. "Would you like to see me in a dress?"

"Yes, you'd look sexy and you'd be submissive." Draco said and Harry frowned. "Do you think your dominant to me?"

"I don't know, I think it could go either way quite frankly. I never imagined I'd be taken by a guy, but it doesn't entirely repulse me." Harry said. "So how do Purebloods see the world differently then other wizards?"

"Maintaining the balance is important to us, we re-re, like each other, even if we have dark or...

"Light." Harry supplied.

"Light magic, not like..."Draco's eyes closed for a moment, before snapping open. "Other wizards, who don't like each other and don't re-respect the bal-bal..."

"Balance." Harry said and Draco nodded.

"Drink Harry, so I'm not the only one drunk." Draco said and Harry shrugged, before pouring several more shots for himself and tasting them, as he knocked them back. He loved the taste of fire whiskey, but frowned, always before this had been enough to send him reeling.

"That was good." Harry said and smiled at Draco, he supposed he would have to pretend to be drunk, to continue talking with Draco. He wondered if maybe there was a potion he could drink that mimicked the effects of alcohol. Draco had six shots, which was enough to get you pretty drunk, but Harry didn't feel it at all.

"Your flame is pretty, pretty flame!" Draco said and laughed, before reaching up and touching Harry's hair, Harry groaned as he felt pleasure ripple through him. He moved his head so Draco could access his hair more easily. "You like that don't you, my pretty kitty."

"Its nice, it comforts me and well it feels nice." Harry said and blushed, despite being honorable he was a man and he really didn't want this to stop.

"Nice how?"

"One question Draco, is there a way I can make you feel nice?" Harry asked his instincts taking over, all he wanted to do now was please his destined one, as his destined one was pleasing him. He moaned and kissed his destined, tasting the fire on his tongue, as his mate moaned and dug tiny claws into his hair. They fought for dominance, neither giving any ground, plundering each other's mouths. Harry's hands shot up to Draco's hair, pulling off the ribbon and running his fingers through it.

"Need to move." Draco moaned when he pulled away for a short time. "Don't want to..."

"Right the bed." Harry said and picked up Draco in his arms, nuzzling the other boy, trying to find his lips, to touch as much of him, as he possibly could. He went to the bathroom and ran a bath, before getting them both into it, he stroked Draco's back and kissed him, smiling as Draco responded to his caresses.

For Draco it felt like everything was Harry, the room was spinning and spots kept coming in and out, but all that mattered was Harry and how Harry was making him feel. He felt his wings trying to break free and let them, they flew back from his shoulders, white in his passion, as they would be black for his anger. Harry gasped and stopped kissing him for a moment. "Don' stop."

"You're so beautiful, my angel." Harry said and nipped at Draco's neck, Draco frowned digging tiny claws into Harry.

"You not my dom-boss." Draco said and Harry smiled.

"Oh my beautiful little bird, soon you will be singing another tune." He said and took Draco's claws in his own hand, smiling as Draco fought him, the phoenix inside of him leaving no thoughts in his head, but those of claiming his destined one. He sucked at Draco's neck, while his mate struggled at first, Thunder soon had him making little calls of pleasure, he let go of his mate's hands and feasted on his neck, stroking the feathers which were softer then anything Harry had ever felt before. He smiled as he heard his destined one calling out into him in pleasure, calling for him to start the joining dance. He smiled, this day would be for his destined one, he would pleasure him, until the memory of the other that had had him would be distant and hardly thought of. He continued to trace his mouth down Draco's skin, his fingers gently pulling off Draco's pajamas as he went. He smiled as his veela moaned and shuddered as he pleasured him, smiled knowing that soon the man he held would be just as lost to his instincts as Thunder was. Thunder wasn't as interested in the man, as the glimpse of the veela that rested inside of him. He played and teased the man's skin, toying with him, until he was begging for more, pleading with his other half to give it to him. "First you must let me inside you little bird, let me feel you around me and bask in your warmth. Then I will give you more then you can stand." The veela so close to the surface broke through and stared at Thunder a moment, before lowering its gaze. "Oh my beautiful one, you see don't you, you see so clearly who is dominant here and who is submissive. Will you allow me to make love to you this night?"

The veela stared at him a long moment, before nodding, the only thing it could do as the transformation had caused it to be unable to communicate in any other way. A beautiful scent filled the air, driving Thunder wild and sending him half crazed with mating need. He flipped his little bird to his back and took him from behind, trying to be as gentle as he could, yet the mating scent was all around him and the veela who was clearly a little minx wanted him wild and uncontrolled. The veela got what it wanted alright, as Thunder lost himself to the urge of joining together, he felt their souls coming together and aligning, all that remained was for their other halves to love each other, as much as Thunder loved his veela. "We'll have to come up with a name for you, my lovely one. I quite like the name you saw fit to give me, it suits me well." Thunder said and kissed the back of the veela's neck, he smiled as the veela sent more allure to him and cradled the veela against him, as he took him from behind, he caressed his veela's chest and stomach, back and wings, as he made love to him. Finally he spent himself and frowned as the scent of the allure faded and his veela went boneless.

He stepped from the water, checking his veela to make sure that he was alright. He smiled when he saw his veela sleeping, and smiled even more when the veela turned towards him in sleep and let out a little purr. He climbed from the tub, draining the water and wrapping the bandages around himself. He wrapped them as sparsely as he could, while remaining covered and put the head covering back on. He then moved into the bedroom setting his veela on the bed, who was now sleeping soundly. Already Thunder could feel the small spark of life being made when he touched his veela, he would need to carefully erect a nest for his beautiful mate, a nest worthy of such a creature. Yet how could he build such a nest, when he didn't have access to his true form? What did humans like for nests anyway, perhaps the other that resided within him would know. He hoped that the other would not be too angry at him, but Thunder couldn't help his nature and the other had been drinking enough firewater to call him forth several times over.

Thunder sighed, breathing in the scent of his mate deeply and snuggled close to him happily. His mate's length was still hard, yet Thunder didn't want to pleasure him in his sleep, that would tarnish the night they had together, cheapen it somehow. Thunder sighed and closed his eyes, before going to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Harry awoke as something tickled his nose and he sneezed, he opened his eyes and stared at several white. He blinked confused moving them out of his face and groaned at the movement. His head ached horribly and he felt like complete shite. He remembered drinking and asking Draco questions, as well as answering them, however after they had moved to the bathroom, his memory started to get hazy. He realized suddenly that Draco didn't have any clothes on and jumped back from the bed, his foot getting tangled in the bed spread and landing him sprawled on the ground. As he tried to get the air back into his lungs, it all came back to him. How somehow his phoenix side had taken over and had taken Draco, only it hadn't been Draco the Phoenix had bonded to, but rather the veela. Harry groaned and heard a moan from the bed.

"Potter why don't I have any clothes on and what's with all the feathers?" Draco asked and Harry hunched in on himself.

"Draco I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, please forgive me, it wasn't me it was the phoenix." Harry said and Draco crawled over the edge of the bed.

"I transformed last night?" He asked and frowned. "Don't remember much of it, or our game, but I am sore. I suppose that means you're the dominant then."

"I don't know, I didn't want my first time to be as a bloody beast!" Harry wailed and Draco sighed.

"Accio underwear." He said, grabbing the boxer shorts that flew towards him and put them on. "You weren't a beast Harry, you need to accept the creature part of your nature, and otherwise it will only get harder. Those that don't accept all of themselves, with creature inheritances have loads of problems. I don't know what yours will be, but for veelas, we need to have an outlet to release our rage on, as well as our lust, to insure that we don't transform suddenly because someone pisses us off." Draco sighed and rubbed Harry's back. "Its alright Harry, we'll take it slow, even if the more wild sides of us didn't."

"You'd do that for me?" Harry asked and Draco faced Harry, gently lifting his head to look at Draco.

"You are my mate, as such even though I do not know you as well as I would wish, I still would do anything and everything for you, anything you desire ask and it is yours." Draco said staring deeply into Harry's eyes. "Anything Harry, just please don't be sad, it hurts me when your sad and there's no reason for this sadness. Yes in a moment of passion when we were drunk, we excited our wilder sides and you claimed me. Still there is nothing to be guilty about, we are after all two adults and free to do whatever the hell we want. There's a reason I called you Saint Potter in school you know, its because you always try what you perceive to be the honorable thing, the right thing to do. Despite what it does to you, despite what you want. You need to stop doing that Harry, because after a while, if you behave like that in public and in private, the mask of what people want you to be, becomes what you actually are. I don't want that, I love your fire and your more devious side, I don't want that to fade, just because you're trying to please the masses. You don't need to worry about the masses, your a powerful wizard and the heir to two noble families, as a Muggleborn would say, you don't need to take shit from anyone." Draco said and Harry smiled at him and wiped at his eyes. "Its alright, we'll get through this together and not drink fire whiskey again, not unless we want your Phoenix to come out and play."

"You think that it came because I was drinking fire whiskey?"

"That is a possibility, though we were sort of passionate, before you started to get increasingly wild, which called to my veela and made me transform. Only the call of a mate could have made me transform after taking the dulling potion, only your call Harry." Draco said smiling at him. "You know it doesn't hurt nearly as bad as I thought it would, though I wish I could remember more of it."

"You want to remember that?" Harry asked.

"Merlin yes, I bloody want to remember it, bet it was really hot." Draco said and winked at Harry. "In more ways then one." He said and Harry smiled slowly. "That's better, now lets go get some breakfast, nothing charred though, not unless we want your phoenix to wake up." Draco said and chuckled at Harry's pout. "You know I'm right Potter, what you need to realize is that I'm often right."

"Yes whatever you say Draco." Harry said slightly sarcastically and Draco laughed.

"Never realized before, but you can be fairly sarcastic at times Potter, I like sarcasm, its good for the soul and keeps people guessing." Draco said and stood up, offering a hand to Harry and wincing slightly as he stood.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked worriedly.

"I'm fine Harry, no need to worry." Draco said.

"Sorry I can't help it, you're my destined one." Harry said and Draco smiled.

"I like it, its more poetic then simply mate, is that how your phoenix thinks of me?"

"I suppose so, destiny hasn't ever really gone my way before, so is it alright if I use mate instead?" Harry asked and Draco smiled before nodding.

"I don't care what you call our growing bond, all that matters to me is that you're with me." Draco said and smiled. "Would you mind learning wizard comportment from my Mother?" Draco asked and Harry frowned.

"Why can't you teach me?"

"My Mother would be a far better teacher, in fact after I left for Hogwarts, she began to teach young wizards and witches comportment."

"I suppose I could, but you are going to go with me to Muggle London, I want to explore it, to see the world."

"Alright I suppose that's fair, you can teach me about muggles, if you allow us to teach you about your heritage." Draco said and Harry nodded. "I'll keep an open mind, if you will." Draco added.

"I suppose that's fair enough." Harry said and stood slowly, he wrapped his hair in the head cloth, before pulling on jeans and a tee shirt. "The sooner I can stop wearing these the better, turbans don't bring back fond memories."

"Why?" Draco asked.

"In first year Professor Qurriel had Voldemort in back of his head." Harry replied and both he and Draco shuddered.

"Well Quirriel always had a strange sense of style, I suppose he thought what this ensemble really needs is a Dark Lord." Draco said and Harry laughed. "Though in all seriousness, we need to go shopping. Your one of the most famous wizards in the world today, you need to dress the part."

"Today?" Harry half asked, half whined in a beseeching tone. "I hate shopping."

"We'll make it fun, didn't you say you wanted to see the world?"

"What does clothing have to do with that?" Harry asked.

"Everything, my dear, simply everything. In any event my family has a port key to Fleur De Magie, in France."

"I suppose that's a wizard shopping area like Diagon Alley."

"It's five times as big as Diagon Alley Harry and located under the Paris Catacombs." Draco said and Harry stared at him wide eyed. "As French magical citizens, we can come and go whenever we wish."

"That sounds amazing Draco, but I've never been out of the UK, I don't have a passport."

"Wizards do not need a passport and none of the cities we travel to are located near customs, so you won't run into any difficulties." Draco said and Harry nodded.

"Alright, I guess that will be alright, after all its not every day that a bloke invites you to Paris." Harry said and Draco laughed.

"If you wished, we could go every day, I doubt that I could ever be employed at a job that would satisfy me." Draco said.

"I could ask them to hire you, I mean you never did anything."

"But I didn't do anything to stop them either and I let a bunch of death eaters into Hogwarts."

"You were pretty torn up about it Draco, your..."

"If your going to say I'm not a bad person, submissive or not, I might curse you. You have no right to judge me, or my character, despite being my mate, that right is earned." Draco said and Harry stared at him surprised. "You know nothing of the wizard world Harry, all you know has been fed to you, like one would feed a baby. Dumbledore did you no favors by keeping you in the dark and failing to see to your education. In fact I wager that your Parents would have been horrified at the way he saw fit to take care of you. The magical world you know is far different then what it truly is, as the Boy Who Lived, I imagine that Dumbledore taught you just enough to stay alive, not to truly live as a powerful wizard. If he had, the Daily Profit would never have gotten away with besmirching your name like they did, throughout school."

"You mean there are wizard laws to prevent that?"

"The press has freedom to print what they want, if you had gone to the ministry and had your memories placed in a pensive, it would have been unalterable proof that what you saying was true. Pensive memories cannot be tampered with, nor can they be changed." Draco said and set a hand on Harry's shoulder. "If you are willing to accept what I could offer you, you could see a world beyond your imagination and learn about a people that have survived for thousands of years, despite everything and everyone."

"But what would I loose in doing that?"

"Nothing that you do not allow yourself to, in any events it is better to ask what will you gain." Draco said and smiled at Harry, Harry took a deep breath, before nodding.

"Alright, I'll go with you, I'll try to understand how you see the world, if you try to do the same for me." Harry said and Draco nodded.

"That's fair I suppose, come on lets go get something to eat, I'm starving." Draco said and Harry stopped, before whirling on Draco.

"You've never been truly hungry a day in your life, you don't know what it means to be truly hungry, kindly don't pretend that you do." Harry said and Draco stared at him.

"I always just thought you were scrawny, all the Potters were bean poles, until nineteen or so." Draco said and stared at Harry.

"Yes well, my relatives fed me, not what they ate, but they fed me. It was more of when I was on the run that I learned all about true hunger, the kind of hunger where you'd eat just about anything, just to keep yourself going for one more day, one more hour." Harry said and swallowed thickly. "Sorry shouldn't have brought it up."

"I'm glad you did, we'll have to buy some nutrient potions and maybe help you grow a few more inches. Your transformation made you a little taller I think, but you should grow a bit more in both forms."

"Really?"

"Really and that can be helped along by magic, you might never see the height you should have, but you'll maybe grow another six inches or so, if we give you the proper potions, though it might hurt."

"I don't mind pain." Harry said and Draco nodded. "Do you mind if I borrow some of your clothes, I think mine burnt up in the fire."

"That would be fine by me, though they won't fit quite properly in the arm or leg."

"That's alright." Harry said and they went to Draco's wardrobe together. Draco got out two sweaters and two pairs of trousers, handing one to Harry and watching as Harry put the pants on. Harry then shoved the shirt over his head and grinned at Draco. He offered his hand and Draco took it.

"Purebloods generally frown upon public displays of affection." Draco said and Harry nodded.

"That's alright, I've always bit a bit uncomfortable about them myself. What does the wizard world think of those that prefer the same sex?"

"Well it depends on the wizard, more traditionalists believe that it doesn't really matter who you're attracted to, as long as you can make the next generation so to speak. The Muggleborns most likely have their own views, which may or may not be influenced by the culture in which you were raised. I take by your question that Muggles are less then appreciative of the liking of one's own sex?"

"Yes, that's true." Harry said and walked with Draco out of his room. Harry was impressed by the grandeur of the manor, portraits of young men hung everywhere, most having Draco's nose or cheekbones. They smiled at them as they walked by, a few of them waved from their portraits even.

"All these are my ancestors, if you wish to talk to one simply tap your wand on the portrait, otherwise there are spells in place so they can talk to one another, without making the manor like a social gathering, and making the current inhabitants unable to think clearly."

"I see, did you talk to them a lot as a child?"

"Some yes, they helped me to learn a great deal and like anyone I had my favorites, ones that I saw myself in, or ones that weren't like me at all." Draco said and smiled. "We should really go to Gringotts sometime and see what your inheritance is, for all we know you have a manor somewhere like this." Harry frowned and shook his head.

"Dumbledore would have..."

"Dumbledore never told anyone anything, unless it benefited him. He should have been in Slytherin instead of Gryffindor." Draco said angrily and Harry felt shock rush through him and felt his anger rise for a moment, before he remembered that Dumbledore had groomed him to die. That Dumbledore had never expected Harry to survive to adulthood, following that logic Harry could see how he had been manipulated his entire life, to being what Dumbledore wanted, regardless of Harry's own wishes.

"Your right." Harry said clenching his free hand angrily. "Promise me one thing Draco, no matter what happens, no matter where this bond takes us, you won't ever use me."

"I give you my word Harry, that I won't make you do anything that you don't want to do. That I won't try to manipulate you, but I can't promise to never use you. There might be a situation that I see and you don't, one that will need you to speak out. Therefore by alerting you of the situation and asking you to act, I'd be using you. Malfoys take promises seriously, our word is our bond and our bond is our word. Once a Malfoy promises something, it is done, regardless of the consequences, regardless of what comes afterward. That is the pureblood way, when the world was against us, we banded together to become strong, the promises we made one another were sacred. That's what a blood traitor is, one that breaks his word, because all Purebloods are related by blood, as is most of the magical community, we hold promises made to be promises kept. So when a young Abraxas Malfoy promised Tom Riddle that he would follow him loyally, as would his children, we were forced to keep that promise. Grandfather was even more traditional then my Father is, but I doubt he would have promised the man that became Voldemort anything, if he knew what was to come."

"So you were forced to?"

"Some were, some had no choice, and others made a poor choice and suffered for it. Severus is an oath breaker, but as he is the first of his line and would have never had any importance in pureblood circles it hardly matters. Some of the Deatheaters wished to break their oaths, but they would be labeled oath breakers then and blood traitors. Their houses would have lost esteem and their family name would have been tarnished."

"What about those that told the name of other Deatheaters?"

"It is not against the oath to save yourself if caught, everyone knows that. Though most attempt to get around it by saying they were under the imperious curse. The truth is that an imperious can be cast and vows can be sworn, therefore making their claim strictly true, if not true in actuality." Draco said and Harry nodded.

"Also making it impossible to tell who was really under the imperious and who it was cast on as an alibi."

"Exactly, which is why the imperious excuse only works for those that didn't perform what is called a depraved crime. A crime that one would have to relish in order to do, for no one can cast an unforgivable under the imperious. They can be made loyal under the curse, but they cannot cast unforgivable, they only do that of their own free will. Therefore the imperious defense as it is called, can only be used if the person in question has never used either the killing curse or the cruciatus curse."

"Your Father didn't use those curses?"

"There are other ways to kill a man, less expedient ones and Father believed in the cause at first. It was later that he realized that the man he was following, the man his own Father believed fully in, wasn't exactly sane. Still by that time it was too late, we could only be freed by his death. Severus was the only one that could spy against Voldemort and Father had to be loyal to the Dark Lord because of the vows his own father swore. Still that didn't stop him from accidentally leaving important papers on his desk, papers that might, or might not have been accounts of Voldemort's movements. After Dumbledore's death, even Severus couldn't feed information to the Order, because the Order believed him to be criminal, but by that time the Order had what it needed." Draco said. "So you see, there is loyalty and then there is loyalty, when a vow is sworn, without it being unbreakable, there are many things one can do while still being loyal to that vow." Draco explained leaving Harry confused.

"Er, could you explain that again, I didn't quite catch that. How can you be loyal, without being loyal?"

"Most people are loyal first to their beliefs and themselves, secondly families, then to those that they are allies with, thirdly to those that share the same views as them. When their families or allies are threatened, it is alright to see to those loyalties first, to ensure their safety. Its sort of an unwritten rule within pureblood society, that while you may align yourself with others, older alliances take precedence and sometimes one can even go against old alliances, if an opportunity for something more advantageous comes along. Purebloods give a percentage of what they earn to a joint account, which is managed at Gringotts, they can borrow from the account at any time, but what they purchase with the account has to be agreed on, by the joint owners of that account. Most of the time, these accounts aren't used, but they are there when needed." Draco said and Harry nodded, he somewhat understood what Draco was telling him. "Now there are light families, dark families and grey families, historically your house is a grey house, well known for their sense of justice and advocating for all forms of magical knowledge to be preserved. In fact the Potter Library used to be open to anyone that wished to access it, before the war occurred and it was one of the largest libraries in the world, partly do to other estates donating rare books to it, to ensure that the knowledge wouldn't be lost. If your parents had raised you, you would have been educated about what others call Dark Magic, rather then simply rejecting it because you were told that it was inherently evil. Dark Magic was a classification that came about in the eighteen hundreds, when the Pureblood community no longer became the majority. It is magic that can be dangerous to those that haven't been raised to handle it, magic that is sometimes hard to understand. For example a human to animal transformation is considered Dark Magic, because you are enforcing the will of another. Light Magic are classified as the spells that don't truly harm another person, but there are ways around that and Light Wizards in actuality can be just as nasty as Dark Wizards." Draco said and Harry nodded, what Draco was saying made sense to him, even though he was taking all that Draco said at face value. He supposed that if what Draco said about his inheritance was true, he could verify what was said, by talking with his family portraits. He really hoped what Draco was saying was true, because he really wanted to learn about his family and his ancestors.

They walked in silence to the dining room and Harry stopped still outside the door, staring at Severus, who was wearing what seemed to be black silk pajama bottoms and a sweater. Severus raised an eyebrow at Harry, but didn't commit, as Harry took a seat. "Good Morning." Harry said and felt horribly awkward, what did you say to the man that loved your mother, the mother that had died so you might live. "Er um, what do I call you?

"As elegant as ever Harry, I suppose since you are to be my Godson's husband, you may call me whatever you wish." Snape said and smiled, it was strained and highly unsettling to Harry. "Though I'd prefer it if you refrained from calling me names that your compatriots are fond of."

"I'd never be so crass as to call that to your face Professor, I am not like you." Harry said and Snape nodded.

"Perhaps I did treat you unfairly, for that I am sorry."

"Its alright, I understand why you behaved the way you did, to extent. Though I have to say I don't truly know you, so I cannot understand some of your actions." Harry said and Snape nodded.

"Indeed, you are very young and fairly naive about the ways of the world you find yourself in, between all of us, perhaps we can make a young man that is more confident in himself and ensure that your fame is not taken advantage of in ways you don't wish."

"Ah but you are all Slytherins, won't you attempt to have me use my fame, to your advantage."

"Perhaps, but the next part of this war is not your fight, I too am out of it and glad to be. Lucius is not so lucky unfortunately, as people are already enquiring as to if he will take the Dark Lord's place." He said and Harry stared at him in shock.

"They want Lucius to continue the war?" Harry asked and Snape nodded.

"Lucius is well respected within the Pureblood community and believes as they do. I love the old ways and would consider myself a traditionalist, but I am tired of war, I am weary of battles and wish simply to work on my craft, to go ever father into the unknown. Now that I am no longer beholden to anyone, for the first time since I was seventeen, I find that I am free to do what I wish, rather then what others might wish for me. Its important Harry to not give up your own desires in service to others, or even in service to a cause, as so many do. It makes one miserable and is not worth the effort, as it is generally thankless. The papers this morning are calling for my execution, despite everything I did, despite what I did to ensure their survival. They despise me, people won't thank you for doing what you perceive to be the right thing and they will turn on you as soon as an opportunity presents itself. People by and large are out for themselves and only themselves, there are those that genuinely care about others, but those that would truly give their life for another are rare. Some wish to be seen as heroes, while others simply wish for others to like them, but when presented with the choice of their lives and the lives of others, they tend to choose their own skin. We are a rare breed Harry, those that are willing to give up their lives for others, but there is no true satisfaction in it. It is absolutely thankless, you may be considered a hero now, but in time they will start to question, start to wonder, start to question. At least I was never considered a hero, unlike you, I had my own role to play and I played it well. Still it cannot be played again, for no one but my true friends will trust me ever again. What you are, what you can do for them will always be on their minds, they will demand that you save others and when you do not, you will be criticized for it. It is not up to you to save everyone, not everyone can be saved. No matter how hard you try, no matter how much suffering you put yourself through, you will not be able to save them all. Then they will blame you, they will feel that you owe them that you should do more. It is far better to do nothing at all, then to do everything for others, who will only hate you in the end, despite all you went through, despite all the pain and suffering you endured." Severus said and took a hearty swallow from a glass that was by his plate. Harry stared at Snape in silence, not sure what to say, not sure what he could say, still there was something that he could do. Something he could do for all of those in the war, that didn't wish to be, on either side, yet he would need help to do it.

"How many death eaters didn't want to fight?" Harry asked staring at his plate.

"While most weren't given a choice in fighting the war and others were mislead, they were given a choice in how they fought." Severus said and took a sip from his glass. "In any event they could have chosen to go against their principles at any time, as I did. I gave up a long time ago being recognized by my Grandparents, I am still my Father's son and that is an offense that is unforgivable to them. Still you are the Lord of two separate Houses, even if you weren't Harry Potter, people would still have to listen to you, because of your Lordships and seats on the Wizingammant. Tell them the truth, that Voldemort took our beliefs and twisted them to suit him. Once he had people that believed in him, that would follow him no matter what, he stated flat out that if we ever disobeyed him, the others would kill us. He tortured us and threatened the families of those that had them. He kept telling us to believe in him, that he would bring about a better world, but all he brought with him was more pain, more torture, and more death. All I wanted was to have a place in this world, a place where I can belong and I never got that." Snape said and stared at his glass pensively, the profit was sitting next to him and Harry felt fire fill him, the fire of rage, of indignation of helplessness and tired of being helpless. He had, had enough of the wizard world's capricious ways, he had enough of them demanding things from others, when they did nothing themselves. He was tired of them constantly turning on one another, demanding that one group or another was punished.

He stared at the table for a moment, before disappearing in a crack and arriving in front of Ministry of Magic. "I want journalists here now, if they want a story, I'll give them a bloody story, one that will be true for once!" He said and everyone stared at him in shock, he didn't care he didn't give a shit for once in his life, a man that had done nothing but give of himself was being punished for a mistake he made at seventeen years of age. Harry paced until he saw Rita Skeeta and other higher ministry officials arrive, as well as what seemed to be at least fifty aurors and he laughed. "AH SO YOU CHANGE SO QUICKLY, I SUPPOSE I SHOULD EXPECT NO LESS FROM SUCH A COMPRISSIOUS AND PETTY GROUP OF PEOPLE, ONE MOMENT I AM YOUR SAVIOR, THE NEXT I'M A WHACK JOB. QUITE FRANKLY I STOPPED GIVING A SHIT AT FIFTEEN, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL NOW THAT I REALIZED THAT THIS WORLD IS BLOODY BEYOND SAVING. IF YOU IMPRISSON SOMEONE WHO SAVED YOUR ASSES, WHO THE BLOODY HELL IS NEXT. WHO CAN SAY THAT THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING IN THIS BLOODY WAR THAT THEY DON'T REGRET. I BET THE ONLY ONES THAT DID STAYED THE FUCK OUT OF IT, I NEVER HAD THAT CHOICE HOWEVER. I WAS FORCED TO BE THE BLOODY BOY WHO LIVED BEFORE I COULD EVEN WALK, BECAUSE OF YOU LOT I WAS RAISED BY A FAMILY OF MUGGLES THAT HATED ME. THAT WHIPPED AND STARVED ME, WHO'S SON USED ME AS A PUNCHING BAG, BECAUSE OF YOU AND DUMBLEDORE. DUMBLEDORE WHO DECIDED THAT FOR THE GREATER GOOD HE WOULD RAISE A BOY LIKE A LAMB, RAISE HIM FOR SLAUGHTER. I LIVED DIDN'T I SO SCREW YOU DUMBLEDORE, SCREW YOU AND YOUR GREATER GOOD. HAPPINESS DOESN'T BLOODY WELL TRYAMPH IN THE DARKEST OF TIMES, IT JUST BLOODY GETS DARKER, NO FUCKING END IN BLOODY SIGHT. BECAUSE JUST WHEN YOU THINK ALRIGHT, FINALLY I CAN SIMPLY BE HARRY, JUST HARRY, YOU TURN INTO A BLOODY BIRD AND KNOW THE PEOPLE YOU SAVED WILL NEVER ACCEPT YOU, BECAUSE OF THEIR STUPID LAWS. NOT ONLY THAT BUT THE MINISTRY IS CORRUPT AND THOSE IN POWER DON'T CARE ANYTHING FOR THE PEOPLE. THE MUGGLEBORNS HATE THE PUREBLOODS AND THE PUREBLOODS HATE THE MUGGLEBORNS, EACH SIDE DEMANDING FOR THE OTHER'S HEAD. IF THE WORLD CONTINUES IN THIS WAY, IF YOU TRY TO IMPRISSON WAR HEROES THAT HAVE MORE INTEGRETY AND COURAGE THEN YOU SHEEP WILL EVER HAVE, THEN YES OUR WORLD IS DOOMED, BECAUSE OF YOU AND PEOPLE LIKE YOU. MINISTRY OFFICALS THAT BLINDLY IMPRISSION OTHERS, BECAUSE THE OTHERS HIGHER UP ORDER IT. MINISTRY OFFICALS THAT TORTURE A YOUNG BOY BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE WHAT HE IS SAYING. PEOPLE THAT NEVER POSSIBLY WORRY ABOUT ANOTHER'S MENTAL STATE, THAT THINK OH HE'S FINE, OR BELIEVE BASE RUMORS THAT HAVE NO TRUTH TO THEM. REPORTERS THAT TURN INTO BUGS, JUST TO GET A STORY. THIS WORLD IS FUCKED UP, WE CLAIM TO BE SO MUCH BETTER THEN MUGGLES, BUT REALLY WE'RE JUST AS BAD, JUST AS INTOLLERANT. WE BELIEVE JUST AS STRONGLY THAT OUR WAY IS THE RIGHT WAY AND ALL OTHERS ARE WRONG. I FOUGHT A WAR BELIEVING THAT, I DIED FOR THAT AND FOR WHAT. SO I COULD LIVE IN A WORLD THAT WOULD MAKE OF ME A SECOND CLASS CITIZEN, FOR A WORLD THAT WOULD IMPRISION, TORTURE, OR KILL A MAN THAT DID EVERYTHING HE COULD TO SAVE IT?

YOU KNOW VOLDEMORT WAS BLOODY RIGHT, I DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT DARK MAGIC, OR PUREBLOODS, OR WHATEVER THE FUCK THEY CALL THEMSELVES, BUT THERE IS NO GOOD OR EVIL, THERE IS ONLY POWER AND THOSE STRONG ENOUGH TO TAKE IT. SO TAKE YOUR POWER, ENJOY IT, RELISH IT AND I HOPE YOU CHOKE ON IT, I HOPE YOU BLOODY WELL DIE AND DON'T YOU THINK FOR A MOMENT I'LL SAVE YOUR BLOODY SKINS AGAIN. I AM SICK OF SAVING PEOPLE, SNAPE IS RIGHT, NO ONE THANKS YOU FOR IT, INSTEAD THEY ONLY DEMAND MORE OF YOU AND WHEN YOU FALL SHORT THEY PUNISH YOU FOR IT. WELL IF YOU SEND SNAPE AWAY, I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'M GOING TO DO, I'M GOING TO GO INTO THE MUGGLE WORLD, INTO HIDING AND NONE OF YOU WILL FIND ME AGAIN. THEN WHEN YOU NEED TO FIGHT ANOTHER DARK LORD, YOU'RE ON YOUR BLOODY OWN, BECAUSE PEOPLE FIGHT WHEN THEY FEEL THEY HAVE NO OTHER CHOICE. WHEN THEIR WAY OF LIFE IS THREATENED, AS THE PUREBLOODS ARE CONSTANTLY THREATENED, SOMEONE WILL COME AGAIN AND MAYBE THEY WILL START OUT CARING ABOUT PUREBLOOD VALUES AND CUSTOMS, ABOUT PRESERVING THE OLD WAYS, BUT SOONER OR LATER THEY WILL BECOME CORRUPT, THEY WILL BECOME WHAT YOU MOST FEAR AND YOU WILL HAVE CAUSED IT. ABSOLUTE POWER CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY AFTER ALL AND THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT WE ALL HAVE SOMETHING TO LOOSE, EVEN WHEN WE CLAIM WE DON'T. STILL THAT IS NO EXCUSE TO BLINDLY FOLLOW SOMEONE. MY BEST FRIEND ONCE SAID TO ME YOU DON'T HAVE A FAMILY HARRY, YOU COULDN'T POSSIBLY UNDERSTAND. TOO RIGHT, I DON'T HAVE A FAMILY, THE WIZARD WORLD TOOK THEM FROM ME, TOOK THEM BEFORE I WAS A YEAR AND A HALF, BECAUSE THEY ARE MISERABLE INTOLLEREANT ASSHOLES." With that Harry's magic settled and he felt exhaustion pull at him, he felt lighter then he had in years. "Thank you I needed to get that off my chest." He said and pulled out his wand.

"Wait Harry, you're right, we won't prosecute Severus Snape." The Minister said and Harry raised his eyebrow.

"How much of that is you wishing to save your job I wonder." Harry said. "Excuse me, I'll be going to Gringotts now, anyone fancy trying to stop me?" Harry asked and several wizards shrank back. "That's what I thought." Harry said, before going down the steps and apparating to Gringotts, he took a deep breath before entering the bank. He stared at the bank, before walking up to the counter. "I'm Harry Potter, here to enquire after my Inheritance."

"We'll need to take some of your blood, to prove you are, who you say you are."

"Alright." Harry said and held out his wrist, he winced as a goblin slashed his wrist from index finger to elbow, but said nothing as he squeezed the blood into the bowl, his blood dripping freely. He couldn't die from such a cut, the only thing that would kill him and his mate was if they threw themselves into a volcano. He met the goblin's eyes, as he bled into the bowl, as fire crept up his arm and sealed his wound closed. He stared into those eyes, as the bowl flashed blue and the goblin nodded.

"Come with me and I'll take you to your account overseer." The goblin said and Harry nodded, walking behind the goblin, as everyone else stared at him, he held his head high. Yes he owed the goblins most for he had caused them the greatest harm in the war, he hadn't had a choice at the time, but that didn't mean it was right, that what he did was just. He had gone against his principles and saw to his own survival and he decided that he would never do that again.

He followed the goblin into a small room and sat down in a fairly plain wooden stool leaving the ornate chair, which was in fact very ugly, despite being more uncomfortable. It was after all no more then he deserved, he hadn't kept his word, true the goblin had betrayed him, but he still hadn't been true to his word.

A goblin arrived and stared at Harry in surprise a moment, before sitting down in the ornate chair opposite him. "Here is a list of your holdings and accounts." The goblin said and Harry nodded, looking at the list, he stared at the properties in shock, there were more then he expected, far more.

"Your blood was never taken, it is usually taken at the age of seventeen, but in your case it wasn't." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"I don't want bad blood between us, but the sword is not really mine to give, it belongs to the school doesn't it?"

"It belongs to you, someone must have tested your blood, which isn't exactly legal, even from a goblin standpoint." He said and Harry nodded. "In any event you were nearly locked in a bank vault and your life was threatened. It wasn't your fault that someone rang the alarm, or that your enemies were informed of your whereabouts. By goblin standards you'd be considered a runt still and runts are allowed to make all sorts of mischief."

"You'd call being responsible for the death of others, a little mischief?"

"Well yes, by goblin standards, but we're a different culture."

"You're much less er, abrupt then other goblins I've met." Harry said and the goblin laughed.

"That's because we act that way around all wizards, wizards are Asses." The goblin said and Harry groaned.

"I really need to watch my temper." Harry said and the goblin laughed.

"Temper is a good thing, wizards always very angry, stomping about, making displays of..." He trailed off and pointed to the ridges on his head.

"I don't think that translates, but its something to do with females right?" Harry said and the goblin laughed.

"With all men, it always has something to do with females, or males as you prefer."

"I liked females too, until I found my destined one."

"I see, goblins have those that like horns, over those that like sweet wholes and the..." He put his palms up and made the universal sign for grabbing tits, Harry laughed.

"Yeah boobs are nice." Harry said not quite believing that he was having this conversation with a goblin, they had always seemed so standoffish.

"Your mate is a veela right, not sure if the Malfoy Heir has inherited, wizards are so...there is a word for it, forgive me I don't use such words so often."

"Touchy?"

"Touchy about who mated with who, to goblins it does not matter who you mate with, or how many children you have, before you find the one female that you will defend above all others. I would like to see a horn prefer try to defend his mate, they'd be butted before they knew what had occurred." The goblin said and laughed, Harry joined in as well. "You are related to Gryffindor, which means you have some goblin blood, if the wizards turn on you, you can come to our caves. We have very nice caves, but wizards aren't fond of caves, we don't understand why this is, explain for me please."

"Er, I suppose we prefer castles, or manors because they are easier to keep warm then caves. I'm not really sure actually, I can't speak for all wizards and I was raised Muggle."

"We have those that cannot do magic, we keep them for breeding, why can't you do the same with your Muggles."

"Do you realize how many Muggles there are, there are billions of them."

"Then they are good breeders, if one wizard takes twenty Muggle wives, fix your not enough little wizards problem quick yes?"

"Er I don't think it works like that, I've never heard of wizards taking that many wives, I wouldn't want to be with that many women."

"Some wizards do, wizards like lots of women, and they have mistresses and visit whorehouses and all other manner of fun. We keep quiet about fun and set up vaults for fun, but you don't need a fun vault do you?" He asked and Harry laughed, as he felt his stomach lurch at the thought and nearly threw up.

"Draco would kill me." Harry said and the goblin nodded.

"Ah yes, I have a wife at home, my brood is getting older and I needed one female to take care of them."

"Wait one women takes care of your brood from all the other woman you had kids with?"

"Yes, but she is not a woman, she is a goblin female, goblin females freeze the blood of any runtling or male that comes across them." He said and Harry stared at him in surprise.

"Do the females of your species look different then the males?"

"We are the opposite of wizards, we are the shorter...what do you call male/female?"

"Gender?" Harry offered and the goblin nodded.

"Gender, yes gender that is it. Females are twice as big as we are, but they want lots and lots of nestlings, lots and lots to carry on their clan. They get to choose which goblins with which they will mate and then from there the males fight to determine who gets the females. Wizards are always talking about getting women flowers, buying them gifts, if I bought Gliftrata a gift, she'd gift me my guts on a spike." The goblin laughed.

"She sounds like a formidable female."

"Yes, yes, I was very happy when I won her hand, once the blood didn't flow anymore and my brood was driving me crazy."

"You took care of the kids?" Harry asked and the goblin nodded.

"All seventy six of them."

"You have seventy six kids?"

"Yes, on average half will survive to adulthood, a quarter of that will reach my age, yet my kids as you say are strong, I feel that most will survive."

"What about the weaker ones then, you just let them die?" Harry demanded and the goblin nodded.

"We do not understand you on this point either, you used to be like us, used to let the weak die, so the strong could thrive. Then you stopped doing that, stopped killing off the weak sons and daughters, let them live, let them thrive, let them make more weak sons and daughters. You called it disowning, another thing goblins don't understand is the wizard concept of owning, you pass everything to your brood yes?"

"We do."

"For goblins, if someone wants something I earn after I die, they fight for my horde, the strongest will win."

"I see, your culture is very different."

"Different yes, but we don't fight like wizards do, we don't hold grudges for long in clans, we don't betray our contracts, and wizards do. We are very different races and we see the world differently. I don't deal with the other races, we don't like to mix business with friendships, and it sours the pot so to speak." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"I suppose I understand."

"It was nice talking with you, but you came to us for a purpose yes? You wanted to see how much is in your horde, is that right?"

"Yes, well I suppose it would be nice to understand what I have."

"That is good, one should always know what one has, I keep track of every piece of gold in my horde." The goblin said and Harry nodded. "In the Hellatina account you have 333,333,333 galleons, 222,222,222 sickles, 111,111,111 knuts exactly, the last scion of the house was an eccentric that asked that all investments in the Helatina account be sold off, once the account balance read that exactly."

"When did he ask that?"

"Why in the fifteenth century, wizards can be strange, it didn't reach that amount until the 1970's, but we transferred the rest of the balance to the Balarti account, the balance for that account is 400,000,000 Galleons, 542,458,788 sickles, 444, 863,561 knuts." He said and Harry stared at him slightly shocked. "Of course those two are your largest accounts, the Potter account has 56,835,463 Galleons, 439,421,261 sickles and 1,000,000,000 knuts and James Potter left a personal message, that reads, because we're all nuts Harry." The goblin said and Harry stared at him a moment, before smiling. "There was also a letter, that will be given to you, after your accounting. The Blacks had 47,485,283 in their accounts and all accounts have family artifacts that by the wizarding law 2578 need to be gone over by a curse breaker, before you can go to the vaults yourself. Gringotts has a wide variety of curse breakers from which you can choose, but as you have a fifty percent stake in Weasley's Wizarding..."

"I have what?"

"A fifty percent stake, as you have been their only backer to date and the first backer traditionally receives a fifty percent stake in all further ventures of the company."

"I don't want it."

"Unfortunately you will have to talk to the business owners, but a stake is not what you think it is. A stake gives you the right to sit on the board of the company, to assist in any and all decisions that they make and to ensure the continued profits of that company. You have many stakes in companies and in fact own most of Diagon Alley, as well as Knockturn Alley."

"I do what?" Harry asked and the goblin nodded.

"Oh yes, Diagon Alley was established by Godric Gryffindor in 1081, he bought the land up from a Lord, in what was then the middle of nowhere and warded the surrounding area, along with Knockturn Alley in the understanding that it would benefit the future of the wizarding race."

"I own Diagon Alley?" Harry asked and the Goblin nodded.

"Your vault, the Gryffindor vault is more of vaults, to which each and every store owner and flat pays a yearly fee, which has increased along with inflation. Though the accounts have been deducted for the damages accrued." The goblin said and Harry felt slightly faint.

"You mean that I have a vast amount of wealth? Like even by pureblood standards?"

"Even by pureblood standards, your horde is vast yes, shall I give an approximant number?" The goblin asked and Harry nodded. "What with upkeep of the various estates and heirlooms, the Gryffindor vaults have approximately nine trillion galleons in them."

"So enough to buy a small country?" Harry asked and the Goblin nodded, smiling slightly.

"Indeed it would be enough to buy a small country, but you already own enough land to create a small country, which is placed on an in between."

"What is an in-between?"

"It is in between on parallel universe and another, though the reality continuing is stabilized and Gryffindor pays us a fair amount to check on it occasionally. If a natural disaster were to ever strike one could close the portal through the blood seal and insure all inside are safe."

"How big of a small country?"

"Roughly? Or do you want a full accounting?"

"Like the size of Ireland, or smaller?"

"Larger then Ireland, smaller then Great Britain roughly, it does have several cities, with appropriate shops and metalwork's, as well as a sizable forest, cave system and a large lake." The goblin said and Harry stared at him. "Gryffindor wished it to be a way of ensuring that all magical races survived the mundane's search to exterminate them."

"How soon can we start moving people, can we somehow allow merpeople to travel to the lakes?"

"There is already an ancestral Mer settlement dwelling in the lake. However they are currently the only population living there." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"So in effect we could create a new country and write new laws?" Harry asked and the goblin frowned.

"I believe the original intent was to preserve the magical community in its entirety, without writing new laws. The simple fact of the matter is that the other races are too difficult to get on very well, I for example would never understand a centaur and their love of stars, while the centaurs don't understand the goblin love of gold. Merfolk love the water and then there are the fire and air creatures, which are simply other elements."

"Other elements?" Harry asked and the Goblin nodded.

"Do you wish to know what goblins believe, runtling?" The goblin asked and Harry stared at him, he said runtling not as an insult, but as an endearment.

"Trying to understand wizards is hard, I believe trying to understand goblins would be harder." Harry said and the goblin cackled, Harry supposed it was the goblin form of laughter.

"Perhaps it is because you have constantly had to attempt to face death, but you are very different runtling."

"I was one of the weaker ones growing up, I think I might not have survived, if I was a goblin." Harry said and the goblin looked thoughtful.

"Perhaps, one cannot be certain, but our race is full of the strongest and the smartest now, you wizards cannot say the same."

"True, but at least we give the weaker ones a chance."

"Well then, if you wish to give weaker goblins a chance, then perhaps we shall send them to you, rather then letting them die. It would make a greater race, yes?"

"What on earth would I do with goblin babies? I can't imagine having my own babies at the moment." Harry said and the goblin laughed.

"When you hold your son or daughter for the first time and later tell them stories of your battles, to see their faces light up with joy is a glorious thing." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"I'd hate to see anyone suffer, or die, because they weren't the strongest out there, no one deserves that. Still by your standards I would be a runtling."

"That is true, but there is a castle inside your kingdom, a castle that might be turned into a school. A school where all could learn and hang the laws and ministry."

"That sounds good in theory, but what about the fact that your culture endorses the survival of the fittest to a high degree, other children might not be as strong as even the weakest of yours, not in that way."

"Yes but they shall be strong in other ways and in any event any that go to the school can sign a contract not to kill those that dwell within it."

"Problem is that I'm not sure how many would want to go to this school, or even if I would have the resources for one."

"If it is known that Harry Potter is to create a school of magical knowledge, you would only need to hire the teachers." The goblin said and Harry frowned.

"I wouldn't have the foggiest idea of how to choose a good teacher. I've had good ones, but I haven't had that many truly bad ones, the indifferent ones are the worst."

"Yes, that is true, perhaps you should ask someone who knows something of teaching, yes?"

"I guess." Harry said and nodded. "Still I'm not certain I want to know that much magic, that I'd want to include Dark Magic in the school, but at the same time my destined one..."

"Ah yes, the wizard's great love and fascination with the dark arts and the wizard's suppression of their inner nature." The goblin said. "Many wars have been fought because of this, they are entertaining to watch, as the wizards scurry about like ants."

"You like to watch us fight?" Harry asked and the goblin nodded.

"Yes, we do, you don't stop us from watching, not like goblins, no not like goblins at all."

"Your building up an army and will use it if necessary, won't you? If things don't get better?"

"I suppose you might see it as such, we see it as a way to protect our people, to ensure that if resources ever get short, the goblin nation will survive.

"I see no one wants to be treated as a second class citizen."

"Some need to be however, hiding in plain sight and if you try to tell anyone of our conversation, you will find that you will be unable to." The goblin said and Harry stared at him in surprise. "There are runes and spells on the chair you sat in and no runes on this one, that is the agreement of wizards and goblins. Most people recognize this at a base level, but it is the true reason that the oldest families trust us with their secrets and gold."

"So if I say anything that could get me into trouble, you'll blackmail me?"

"No, because next time you come, you won't sit in that chair if I threaten you will I? Choice is important to all creatures, when that choice is taken away, they resent it. They hunger for the choice again, plot to get it, sometimes for centuries and when they finally have it, it doesn't seem as important to them as it was before."

"How many goblins are there?"

"Roughly speaking there are around one million goblins alive today, but that number is constantly fluctuating, gold is easier to count then goblins." He said and Harry stared at him in shock.

"I don't know how many wizards there are, but why don't you attack us?"

"Because while our training is with magical swords, wizards can fire spells as far as they want." The goblin said. "Such things have been tried before, they always fail." He told Harry and Harry nodded.

"So your the second largest race?" Harry asked and the goblin nodded.

"The first that still is part of the magical community, we believe at least. Other races don't tend to give their numbers away, not unless they have leverage." The goblin said and smiled. "Life is much like a game of Shulatirinalkarada, easy to start, not so easy to finish, or to win."

"Is that a goblin game?"

"Yes, it is also one of strategy, like your chess, only all pieces are the queen and the object is to take as many queens as possible. The masters of Shularda, as it is called for convince, play with thousands of pieces, one game can take weeks, but to see a master play, it is like words that rhyme."

"Poetry? Song?" Harry said and the goblin nodded.

"Those words will suit as well as any." The goblin said and smiled at Harry. "Are you sure you don't wish to learn of our race, this is not an offer made lightly or often."

"I'd actually like to, but I promised my mate that I'd try to understand his customs and culture."

"I do not see why you cannot do both." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"Yeah that's true I guess I could do both." Harry said then frowned. "Then wouldn't I have to try to understand the other races as well?"

"You can never really understand another race, I tell my rustlings that often, you can only try to understand." The goblin said and Harry nodded.

"In all this time, I failed to ask you your name."

"I am Rashalt Bloodink." He said and Harry nodded.

"Your a scholar aren't you?" Harry asked and the Rashalt nodded.

"I do not ordinarily come to tell wizards of their accounts, but when someone said that Harry Potter had taken the stool and asked for me, I came. The fact of the matter is that you runtling will become one that history is written about, rather then one that writes it. As you have a long lifespan in which to consider many things, there is no telling whom you might become. I know that it would be considered a very stupid mistake to anger a phoenix, because if a Phoenix wished to go against his nature and was driven to kill, nothing and no one would be safe." He said and Harry stared at him wide eyed. "That is why we would have you be a friend to our kind, rather then an enemy."

"Still if you try to wipe out the wizards, I don't know what I'd do." Harry admitted.

"You would side with the wizards, that is only right." Rashalt said and cocked his head to the side, displaying the horny ridges on his forehead. "It makes no difference to us, even if we have to face a phoenix it would be worth it, to be no longer subjugated, or beholden to the whims of wizards." Suddenly the papers around them flared bright blue and Harry stared down at them in shock. "I see, well I suppose that I can give you an accounting and talk of such matters at another time."

"Why?"

"It is not every day that a man learns that he is going to have his bloodline continue." The goblin said and Harry stared at him in shock. "You Harry Potter are going to be a Father, to not one, but three boys, that I believe would be the Salitori Blood making itself known, Furies often produce multiple clutches…." Everything else the goblin said was lost on Harry, as he gathered his papers and diapparated to the manor.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Time Lapse of Five Years

Harry awoke to little hands patting his face. "I'm Hungry Father." A young voice complained. "Feed me." The voice added and Harry frowned, his head suddenly assaulted by memories that weren't his own and yet were. By Merlin he'd dictated every part of the lives of his children and his mate. He hadn't noticed when The Veela had retreated in on himself, or stopped making sexual advances. Every waking moment had been consumed with protecting the nest. He hadn't even let anyone inside of it, for Merlin knew how long. He opened his eyes and smiled up at a small child perched on top of his chest. Of the three Cygnus were the most dominant and the most like Harry. He even had the Potter hair that Harry had had before his transformation.

"Alright Cy, just give me a minute." Harry said trying to assimilate all his memories.

"Is that you Daddy, Fa Ma told us Daddy stories, was only Father. We love Father, but Father no let us play with Fa Ma's egg layers." Cygnus said. "Wanna see Ma Nar and Fa Luc and Uncle Sev! Wanna play." Harry stared at the child, before sitting up and looking around the room, the entire room was padded, but there were no toys in sight. He stared at the room a moment, before glancing over at The Veela, he was curled in on himself his arms wrapped around two small bodies with his blond hair. "Fa Ma and Siri and Aby sleepy still." Cygnus said and put a finger to his lips, Harry smiled looking at the three sleeping blonds, watching their chests rise and fall for a moment, before picking up Cygnus and getting out of bed. He frowned at the pants he was wearing, they looked like something a sultan would wear, and not anything Harry would ever be caught dead in. He found his wand and transfigured them, before opening the door out of the room. The little boy clapped excitedly looking around interested with everything. "Wha dat!" He asked again and again pointing and Harry would explain smiling, as the portraits stared at them. He made his way to the dining room and sat the child in his lap.

"What do you want to eat?" Harry asked and the little boy frowned.

"Father always chose Daddy, you choose." Cygnus said and Harry nodded.

"Well have you ever had pancakes?"

"Wha da-those?" Cygnus asked and Harry smiled.

"Well you can't have them all the time, you hear." He told the little boy and Cygnus nodded. "Alright Noxy!" He called and the house elf appeared and stared at Harry and the little boy. "I want pancakes and eggs for both of us and some fruit as well."

"Noxy is happy to see Master Harry, is Master Harry wanting anything else from Noxy?"

"Just the pancakes and eggs and after we're finished, perhaps enough to bring back some for The Veela and Sirus and Abraxas?"

"Of course Master, will Master be wanting visitors?"

"Not sure yet, but the boys will be needing toys."

"There is a room full of toys for the young masters, Master Lucius and Mistress Narcissia buy them every Christmas and birthday, are you wanting to let them choose a few?"

"They are theirs, as long as there is nothing dangerous they can have them all. What were you playing with before?"

"We play with each other, what is toy?" The little boy asked and Harry frowned, apparently he had a lot to make up for.

"Something you can play with, I'll show you after breakfast and after we get Fa Ma some special things, for putting up with me." He told the child and Cygnus frowned.

"Fa Ma loves Father, Father loves Fa Ma, but safety is..." The little boy frowned. "Father doesn't want us getting ouchies." He said and Harry nodded.

"I don't want you to get ouchies either, but I'm not going to lock you up in a room and keep you from everyone." Harry said and cast protective spells around the child, before disapparating to Diagon Alley. Everyone in the ally stared at him in shock; he smiled and headed for a shop that sold jewelry.

"Pretty stones!" The little boy exclaimed upon entering the store.

"Yes they are very pretty, we need to pick one for Fa Ma." Harry told the little boy and looked over each of the stones. "Are there protective charms on these or protective charms that can be set into the stones."

"That's goblin make, talk to Gringotts about it." The man said not looking up from carefully picking apart jewels. Harry nodded and left the store going to Gringotts. The goblins stared at him as well and smiled when they saw him.

"Is you wanting to protect your young ones?" A goblin asked and Harry nodded.

"I can't think of what I spoke of before right now, I'm going to make it happen later though if there's a need. Right now I need to focus on my family, making sure that they are safe and happy."

"That is what every Father wishes for his children, we have set aside pieces for you, they will grow as your children grow. We will make more as needed, for any other young ones you have and your descendants." The goblin promised and Harry nodded. "They are of the stones of your birth, ruby, peridot, and emerald, there are spells of protection, warding and intent laid into the bracelets. No one that means you harm will be able to hurt you by magical or physical means. There are also tracking charms, so that you can never loose anyone wearing one of these bracelets."

"How much?"

"They are a gift from the goblin nation, in return for considering letting us and our decedents to live in your cave system."

"I don't know how big the cave system is and I don't know how to establish guidelines for living in the in-between."

"You have already considered letting us share the country you have thought of creating, have you not?"

"Yes, I want to protect magic in all forms, but I do not know the logistics of such matters. In any event though I know quite a bit of time has passed, but to me I was only here minutes ago. Would it be alright if I paid you with gold, at the moment I need to focus first on my family."

"Clan should come first, you would make a better goblin then a wizard." The goblin said and Harry smiled.

"Perhaps, we shall never know, how much gold?"

"These are priceless, perhaps though forty million galleons as a gesture of good faith and if you ever decide to let us on your land the galleons will be returned to you." The goblin said and Harry stared at him wide eyed, before nodding. He put a bracelet on his son's wrist and his own, before putting the rest into a bottomless bag and filling another with galleons. He bought flowers from a vendor, as well as chocolates and a new broom from a Qudditch supply store. He then bought a card from Flourish and Blotts.

_Draco, I'm so sorry for all I put you through. I'll try not to let my instincts rule me like that, I feel as though I missed out on so much. Our children are so very beautiful, I could hardly bear to leave the three of you sleeping, but Cygnus was hungry. I can't believe so much time has passed, how much of an ass my other form is. I will try to make it up to you, I promise, nothing is more important to me, then our family, destiny might have brought us together, but seeing the phoenixes memories of you and our babies, how could I not love you? I hope that in time you will come to love me and forgive me for my more dominant side. Love always Harry. _Harry finished writing the card and smiled at Cygnus, before disapparating.

They arrived back at the house and Cygnus started crying. "What's wrong little man, please tell Daddy." Harry said rocking the crying child, back and forth, soon little hands clung to his shirt as Cygnus sobbed.

"So much new, liked it, want back!" He sobbed and Harry continued to rock him patting his back.

"We'll go back soon, I promise and I never break my promises." Harry said and his little boy looked up at him with tears in his eyes, Harry wiped them away with his sleeve. "Now lets get Fa Ma and then we can all have breakfast and go out anywhere the four of you want." Harry said and the little boy grinned.

"Can we see Luc and Cissa?" The little boy asked and Harry nodded.

"We can go somewhere together, or stay in whatever you and Fa Ma and your brothers want." Harry said and kissed the top of Cygnus' head, smiling at the boy's sunny smile. He had a feeling that soon all four of his boys would have him doing whatever they wanted. In truth he didn't mind in the slightest, all that mattered to him was their safety and well being. He levitated a tray in that a house elf had brought and quietly entered the room. He put a finger to his lips and Cygnus giggled before nodding. He went over to the bed and kissed The Veela's cheek, before rubbing his hand down The Veela's back. "Draco?" He asked gently, before kissing The Veela's cheek again.

"Mmm." The Veela said sleepily. "Go away Thunder, let me sleep, don't need food, need sleep."

"Draco please its me, its Harry." Harry said and smiled when The Veela cracked open an eye and looked at him.

"Harry is gone." The Veela cried and started to sob. "Gone, gone, gone, cruel dream, bad dream." He nuzzled one of the children. "Chicks safe."

"I'm here Draco." Harry told him, stroking his wings gently, frowning when he felt how dirty they were. Harry picked The Veela up and The Veela let out a squawk startling both little boys awake. They stared at him in fear cowering in the covers. "I'm not going to hurt you, I'd never hurt any of you." Harry said, before sending a cheering charm and a binding hex at The Veela. "Are you going to hold still, so I can clean your wings?"

"Yes I will, be good promise to be good." The Veela said and Harry felt tears come to his eyes, how could Thunder not have seen what he was doing to their mate? Harry summoned water and gently cleaned The Veela's wings as the boys watched him.

"Its Daddy, its okay, Daddy is really nice, he got presents for Fa Ma."

"Presents?" The veela asked and Harry nodded.

"Yes presents, pretty bracelets, flowers and a broom."

"Don't need a broom have wings." The Veela said. "Go flying? Please want to fly!"

"Of course we can go flying, how would you like to spend the day with your egg layers and our nestlings? We can do anything you like, promise." Harry said and was rewarded with the sight of his mate's smile.

"Anything? The Wizard sleeps deeply within me, so you will need to play with me, not him." The Veela said jealously.

"Can I play with the wizard sometimes too?"

"We want Papa!" The boys said and The Veela frowned.

"He has retreated, as have I, you aren't a good mate!" He told Harry and Harry nodded.

"I'll try to be better I promise, my instincts took over, but I'll try to understand my other side better and I'll try to be a better Father and Mate for all of you." Harry said and smiled at his family. "I'm so sorry I treated you like this, if I could I'd take it all back, but you will never have to live like this again." He promised. "Now I thought pancakes might be nice, but is there something else you want?"

"I choose?" The Veela asked and Harry nodded.

"You choose, its safe, your loved I love you Storm." He told the veela remembering a conversation they once had in his other form. Thunder had said that if he were the veela's thunder, then the veela would be his storm. They had made love for the last time he could remember then, while their two year old children slept. After that night, when Thunder hadn't changed, his beautiful Storm had slowly retreated in on himself; Thunder had been too busy with perceived threats to notice. Harry settled a bracelet around Storm's wrist. "Its to protect you, those five stones represent us and the start of our family." He kissed the veela's cheek before giving the other two bracelets to the little boys. "Now what do you want to do?"

"Can I see my egg layers and Sev?" Storm asked as though barely daring to hope.

"Of course you can, you are much too thin Storm. I know you have been eating, so why are you so thin?"

"Need to be in the sky, not a ground thing." He said and Harry nodded.

"We'll fly together after you eat, Grandma and Grandpa are going to watch you three, while I take Fa Ma flying."

"Wanna come too!" One of the little blond ones said and Harry smiled.

"And you can soon I promise, but for now I'm going flying with your Fa Ma, so Storm what do you want to eat?"

"Anything you will give me." Storm said and Harry smiled, he settled Storm into his lap and cut pancakes into small bites for Abraxas, Sirius and Cygnus. The little boys started to eat daintily and Harry smiled, before forking some pancake for his mate and feeding him the treat. He smiled as his mate sighed in pleasure at the taste of something sweet, before forking some of the eggs and then the fruit.

"Eat the eggs too boys." Harry told his sons and they nodded dutifully. He only stopped feeding Storm, when the veela shook his head.

"No more, you eat now." He said and turned in Harry's lap, feeding him his own food. Harry remembered how Strom and Thunder used to share meals and how Thunder hadn't understood when they had stopped. He smiled, taking bite after bite, before sneaking a kiss and smiling at Storm's smile. He finished eating and took out the broom they had bought, before lighting a fire in the fireplace and using the floo. Narcissia looked as though she had aged ten years in the last five. Harry sheepishly rubbed a hand through his hair. "Hello Narcissia, I was wondering if you would mind watching Abraxas, Cygnus and Sirius for a little while, I'm taking Storm flying."

"I would be delighted to, how are you Thunder, I promise not to harm your nestlings."

"I'd never think you'd harm my children, if I was in my right mind Narcissia. I'm so sorry that I let my instincts rule me and denied my family the right to see their loved ones. We'll go out for a little while and when we return I'd like it if Storm's heart kin were here." He said and Narcissia nodded.

"I'll floo Lucius and be right there, but we don't want to overwhelm you or the children, maybe Severus can come too?" She asked and Harry nodded.

"Storm can't wait to see you, maybe someday soon Draco will see you too."

"No! My Mate! Mine!" Storm said fiercely and Harry shrank in on himself.

"Got to go." Harry said and swallowed hard. "Now Storm, you can't act like a nestling, it scares the children when you talk like that."

"Scare nestlings? I no scare nestlings!" Storm said and crooned at the children that were hiding behind the bed.

"Its alright, Daddy is alright and I'm so sorry that I hurt all of you." He said and knelt in front of the bed. "I'll never act like that again, I promise, just like you need to learn, Father needs to learn as well and we'll teach him together alright?" Harry asked and they stared at him wide eyed, before opening their arms. Harry held them all in a hug.

"Fa Ma scary, not scary ever!"

"That's because Fa Ma had to listen to your Father, just like I have to listen to Fa Ma."

"You submissive to me?" Storm demanded.

"Yes but if I feel threatened, Thunder will come back and we're all a bit afraid of him, so please be nice to me Storm."

"I be nice, very nice, nestlings happy, you happy, we safe yes?"

"Yes, we're safe, but we all deserve to live outside this room."

"No room safe, outside not safe."

"Outside is safe too, remember we have bracelets to protect us now." Harry said and took them from his bag. "Please put it on Stormy, for me?" He asked and Storm nodded, taking the bracelet and putting it on. His eyes widened a moment, before rolling back in his head, as he fainted and transformed. Harry let go of the boys and ran to his destined one, taking him into his arms, he watched frantic as Draco's eyes slowly opened.

"Harry?" Draco asked and Harry nodded.

"Its alright, thank Merlin your alright." Harry said and kissed Draco's cheeks and forehead; unable to stop himself from checking to make sure that Draco wasn't hurt. "We're going flying, your Mum said that she'd watch our children. How much do you remember?"

"Not much, it might take a few days for me to regain my memories, or they might never come back." Draco said. "Wait children?"

"We have three, boys meet your Papa." Harry said and frowned as he realized that they hadn't come out from behind the bed. "Its alright, Papa and Daddy are alright, its okay."

"Want Fa Ma and Father." One of the little boys said and Harry nodded, thinking of what it would be like if the Dursleys suddenly did a complete one eighty on him, when he was a child.

"Well I'm not your Fa Ma, or your Father, but I am your Daddy and you will always be my sons, no matter what form any of us might take."

"We're going to change like in Fa Ma's stories?" One of the boys asked.

"You might change when you get older, you might just be little wizards, or you might not have magic and it wouldn't matter to us. You are our babies and we will love you no matter what you may become."

"Not a baby!" A dark head emerged from behind the couch, a little chin jutted out defiantly and silver eyes glared at Harry and Draco.

"You will always be my baby, no matter how old you are. Just like I'm Cissia's baby, though you are a very big boy now and very brave." Draco smiled at the little boy. "I don't want to leave them Harry."

"But I need to fly and so do you and brooms aren't safe for little boys."

"Can't we get them kids brooms, I want to be with them."

"So do I, but we need to get you healthy too."

"I can fly any time now." Draco said and Harry lowered his gaze.

"Yes, but we won't feel right until we do, please Draco, just go with me for a short trip, while Narcissia and Lucius watch the children."

"Alright, only a short trip and we're staying where we can see them."

"Okay that's fair, lets see what Grandma and Grandpa bought you." Harry said and slowly approached the couch. He saw the boys huddling against each other and wrapped his arms around them.

"You love us right?" Cygnus asked and Harry nodded.

"I love all three of you so much, even though its hard to remember, even though they feel like someone else's memories, I know that Cygnus is adventurous, Abraxas is artistic and you Sirius are kind." He told the boys. "I promise you that everything will be different from now on, but I also promise that it will be better. Its alright, Papa loves you and I love you, we would never hurt or scare you intentionally."

"Can you tell stories?"

"Not very good at telling stories I'm afraid, but I can read them to you." Harry said and smiled at his children. "Now lets go find some toys for you to play with and then we can go outside and enjoy the sunshine." He said and the boys nodded, he picked up Cygnus and Sirius, while Draco hesitantly bent down to Abraxas.

"Would you like me to carry you, it's a pretty long way from here to the entrance to the manor." He offered and the little boy nodded.

"Can you get my bag Draco, the bracelet and the broom I bought should be in it." Harry said and Draco nodded, picking up the bag. They then walked next door and the children stared wide eyed at the sheer amount of stuff in the room.

"Well what are you waiting for?" Harry asked setting Cygnus and Sirius down and ruffling both their hair.

"Its so big!" Sirius said.

"All this is ours?"

"Yes, it is, but I expect you to treat what your given well and to thank your grandparents, for now why don't you all pick one thing?" Harry asked and the boys nodded, Harry found some children's brooms and they went into the bag, along with several storybooks and a soft blanket. He smiled as Abraxas grabbed a stuffed dragon toy and leapt back startled when it roared.

"Can I see that?" Sirius asked.

"I'm playing with it now, but you can play with it in a little while." Abraxas said and smiled as he stroked the toy's wings and they started to flap. The three little boys and Harry stared at the dragon with wide eyes. "What else does it do Daddy?" Abraxas asked and held up a piece of paper, Harry went over to it and started to read.

_You are now the owner of a dopple dragon, it acts exactly as a real dragon and responds to commands, and it can even bring you things and play fetch. Our dopple dragons are the best gift for your little dragon tamer, all it needs is a name and it will obey anyone that calls it._

"Boys, this toy is special..."

"There are three of them Harry, so what's so great about a stuffed dragon?"

"Its pretty much like a pet that you don't have to feed." Harry said and smiled when he was handed two more identical dragons and a lot of collars. "So boys which collar do you want?" He asked.

"I want blue!" Cygnus said immediately.

"I like blue too, but I'll have purple if I can't have blue." Abraxas said.

"I love green, it's my favorwite colwoer." Sirius said and Harry smiled as he and Draco fastened the collars.

"Now your dragon needs a name."

"Draggles!" Sirius said and hugged his Dragon tightly.

"Orion, like the star man Fa Ma taught us about." Cygnus said.

"Lily, like Daddy's Mommy, who loved him lots and lots, even though she had to go away." Abraxas said and Harry smiled.

"Alright, Lily sit!" Harry said and the boys stared as the dragon obeyed.

"That's really good!" The boys said excitedly

"Cool, its really cool." Harry said.

"Why, its hot?"

"What Harry means to say is that its Wicked, and wicked means super good." Draco said and the little boys nodded.

"I suppose you can get some puzzles too." Harry said and Draco smiled.

"You big softy, only one each boys, alright?" Draco said and the boys nodded, grabbing three puzzles from the pile as Harry got some story books, most of which he didn't recognize, but he found a boxed set of Peter Rabbit books, he'd loved Peter Rabbit in kindergarten. He smiled and added them to the bag.

"Alright boys, its time to go."

"But Daddy!" Cygnus complained. "I wanna play here more."

"Well Papa and I want to fly and Grandma Cissia and Grandpa Luc are waiting to see us." Harry said and smiled, as his arms were full of two little boys, he swung them up and cradled them in his arms, as Draco picked up Cygnus and the bottomless bag.

Draco led the way downstairs and out onto the back lawn of the estate, he took out the blanket and brooms from the bag. "Would you three like to learn how to fly?"

"What's flying?" Sirius asked curiously.

"Flying is where you hold onto a broom and go up into the air." Draco explained. "If you get good enough, Papa and I will buy you a model that goes five feet up, these are toe touchers, and most little wizards start out with them." Draco said and took the four brooms out of the bag. "I don't want you to go up on any of our brooms without us okay?" He asked and the boys nodded, Draco smiled and started to explain how to fly, as Harry helped by holding each of the little boys on the broom until they understood what Draco was telling them.

Mid lesson Narcissa, Severus and Lucius came out of the manor and stood by the steps, Harry waved to them and gestured for them to come slowly.

"Hey Si, look that's Grandma Cissa, Grandpa Luc and Uncle Sev." He said and stared as the little boy executed a perfect turn and raced towards the manor steps. "Be careful Cygnus!" Harry called out to his son, his instincts attempting to take over, before the bracelet calmed them, he was glad that the bracelet had calmed him. Though admittedly he'd like the option of transforming into Thunder if he wanted. The two other boys turned at the shout and zoomed after their brother. Draco laughed and grabbed the broomstick

"Come on Harry, jump on." He said and Harry got on the back of the broom, lacing his fingers around Draco's chest. He whooped as they took off and started to laugh, loving the feeling of the wind in his hair. They caught up to the children just as they reached the steps.

"Uncle Sev looks scary." Sirius said huddling behind his brothers.

"Its okay, Uncle Sev would never hurt us, right Uncle Sev?"

"I'd never harm any of you and who might you fine young men be?" Severus asked and Cygnus smiled.

"I'm Cygnus Malfoy, my brofers are Aby and Siri."

"Abraxas and Sirius." Harry supplied, as they landed. "We were just teaching them how to fly."

"Something every young wizard should know." Severus said and crouched down. "So what do you like to do?"

"The world is really big, but with Father we wrestled, until Fa Ma read us stories, or gave us lessons."

"I see, well perhaps you may be interested in trying some child's potions."

"Daddy said we could only have one toy."

"I didn't want them to take the whole room with us." Harry said and the Malfoys and Snape laughed.

"So how are you taking to being a Daddy Harry?"

"Its great, I love the little rascals." Harry said. "I'm gonna get you!" He added and the boys shrieked as he started after them.

"No I'm going to get you!" Draco called and Harry quickly ran away from Draco, laughing as he was chased, Draco caught him and pulled him to the ground starting to tickle Harry.

"I help, I help!" Sirius said and ran up to them, starting to tickle Harry as well, Harry couldn't stop laughing.

"Help Daddy, tickle Papa." He told the other boys and they ran joining the fray.

"You sick my own sons on me Harry?" Draco demanded and Harry shrugged.

"I was outnumbered." He replied and managed to get to his feet, grabbing Sirius. "Ah ha now I have a hostage, give me a kiss for his safe return."

"You sir fight dirty, but very well, I suppose I have no choice but to give into your demands." Draco said and kissed Harry on the cheek.

"Kissy Daddy, kissy Papa, kissy!" Sirius said and Harry kissed the top of his head.

"Me want kissy too!" Cygnus said

"I want a kiss too." Draco corrected, before first kissing Sirius and Cygnus. "Would you like a kiss from Papa and Daddy too Aby?"

"Yes, kiss." The little boy said lifting his head to look at his parents, Harry smiled and bent down, letting Sirius go and kissed both boys on the forehead.

"Get me Daddy!" Cygnus said and started to run away laughing as Harry chased after him.

"I'm gonna get you!" He said and ran after the boy, going slow enough as to not catch him immediately. He caught up to the child. "I got you!" He said and grabbed the boy, before lifting him into his arms. "What's this?" He asked making a snake out of his hand. "Could it be, not the dreaded tickle monster!" He said and tickled his son's side; childish laughter was his reward, as his little boy thrashed about. "Escape is futile, for the tickle monster shall come back again and again." He said and continued to tickle the boy for several more seconds, before lifting him to his shoulders and putting a sticking charm to hold him in place. "Oh no, I'm besieged by small blond minions!" He said and scooped his other two children up, who laughed as he ran with cushioning charms and sticking charms on his arms and neck.

"Get Papa!"

"Get Papa, Get Papa." The triplets said and Harry laughed, chasing after Draco.

"I am going to get you Draco!" He said and Draco laughed as he saw Harry barreling towards him, he spun on his heel and ran strait for his parents. Harry followed behind him, as Draco hid behind Severus. "To get Papa we must first get Sev!"

"Don't you dare Po-" Snape started before six small little hands were tickling him, he stared in consternation at Harry a moment, before he broke into a smirk, that became a smile, as he tried not to laugh. The children however were merciless and kept at it until Snape was doubled over laughing, Harry grinned sidestepped Snape and six little arms reached out for their Papa.

"Papa, we're gonna get you!" They said and Harry smiled at Draco, who stared at the four of them, Harry ran after Draco, the little boys holding out their arms to tickle him, there was a flash and Harry was momentarily blinded by the light, before continuing to chase after Draco, He caught him finally and took him to the ground, smiling as the cushioning charms took effect and their children started to tickle both Harry and Draco.

"Hey munchkins, no fair, you said you'd tickle Papa, not Daddy." Harry complained and started to laugh.

"Tickling you is funner!" Sirius said and Harry smiled, letting the boys tickle both of them as he slowly sat up.

"Cushioning and sticking charms." Harry explained. "Not the hair Cy, please."

"But its fun!" Cygnus said and Harry laughed.

"Oh you are so going to stop thinking that when you are older young man." Harry said.

"I quite like your hair, like you it's always messy and never strait." Draco said and Harry laughed.

"Good one, come on, lets go back to your parents." Harry said and Draco smiled.

"Let me take one of the kids out of your arms." He offered and Harry nodded.

"I want Papa to carry me." Abraxas said and Harry smiled letting go of the charms, as Draco picked up their son in one arm, while taking Harry's hand with the other, they walked back together to where Draco's parents and Severus waited.

"Come sit on the blanket with us, Draco and I will be going flying for a little while shortly, will you be alright watching the kids? We won't be out of shouting distance if you need us."

"Of course, we are glad to watch the children."

"Did you see Grandpa Luc, I caught Papa!" Cygnus said.

"Me too!" Sirius said as Abraxas yawned.

"He didn't run fast, he ran faster when chasing Daddy." Abraxas said and all the adults laughed.

"That's because he secretly wanted to get caught, didn't you mate of mine?" Harry asked and Draco blushed slightly. Harry smiled and settled down onto the blanket, canceling the charms. "Climb off please boys." He asked and both little boys obeyed him obediently. He smiled at Draco, before grabbing his broom and mounting in front, Draco slightly behind him. He kicked off and laughed as the wind rushed through his hair, he flew over what appeared to be a maze and landed in the center of it, by a bench. He took Draco's hand in his and looked into his eyes. "I've fallen in love with your veela and I look forward to falling in love with you."

"As domineering as your phoenix is, I love him too. I'm also looking forward to getting to know you, mate of mine." Draco said and they kissed.

"We should get back up into the air soon." Harry pointed out and couldn't help taking one more kiss loving the flavor of his mate's lips and the way he looked just after being kissed.

"Alright." Draco said, before his hands made their way to Harry's hair and tangled themselves in it. "I really do love your hair, fire or black, doesn't matter as long as it stays this wild." Draco kissed him again and all thought left Harry's head for a moment, as he got lost in the feeling of Draco's lips against his own, lost in the way Draco cradled his head, as he caressed Draco's back. It felt magical to be in the arms of his mate like this, better then the most powerful cheering charm ever cast. Harry moaned slightly, before reluctantly pulling away.

"Flying now." He managed to say as the passion in Draco's eyes faded.

"Only you would pick flying, over getting some action Harry."

"Well we need to fly in order to stay healthy and your health is more important to me, then any mind blowing make out sessions we may have."

"Yes well, considering that we have three little boys, expect those to be few and far between." He said and Harry pouted.

"I'm sure your family and Mrs. Weasley wouldn't mind watching our kids for a little while."

"You haven't spoken to the Weasleys in years." Draco pointed out and Harry shrugged.

"They are my family, just as much as your parents are, I'll write to them soon and ask if we could get together and celebrate the fact that I'm no longer some territorial creature."

"I like it when you get territorial, though you can be overly bossy." Draco said and Harry laughed, before grabbing the broom. He sat in front this time and smiled as Draco sat behind him, wrapping his hands around Harry. They flew together for the next several hours, checking in on the children every thirty minutes or so.

"Daddy don't leave again!" Sirius said and ran to Harry, burying his face into Harry's knee.

"Alright little buddy, how about we go flying together?" Harry asked and his other two children hearing this ran over as well.

"We wanna fly too!" Cygnus said and Harry smiled.

"Alright, but I'm using sticking charms and we're not flying higher then fifty feet, if any of you get scared, tell me and I'll slow down or land the broom." Harry told them and took out his broom; he stuck Cygnus and Abraxas behind him, before sitting down and sticking Sirius to the broom in front. "Now I want you to hold on to Cygnus Abraxas, Cy you hold onto me, alright?" He asked, before threading his hands through Sirius' arms and grabbing hold of the broomstick. They rose into the air and Harry increased the speed just enough to have the wind blowing in their faces. "I'm going to do a loop, if you don't like it tell me and I'll stop." Harry said and did a slow circle in mid air, the boys laughed.

"My hair is funny, look Daddy!" Sirius said and Harry smiled.

"I see buddy, but I need to keep my attention on flying the broom. You want to do a dive boys?" He asked.

"Yes!" All three said and Harry smiled, he did a slow dive pulling up to fly over the grass and smiled at Draco.

"Wave to Papa." He said and all four of them waved one handed, Harry saw Narcissia take out a camera and snap a picture. "Ready boys?" He asked and shot up into the air at medium speed, the children shrieked with laughter, as he leveled out and started to move the broom up and down in waves. The boys loved every minute of it, until Lucius flew up.

"We were wondering if you would like to join us for lunch."

"That would be great, I'm actually quite hungry, sorry we lost track of time."

"Its quite alright, we enjoyed watching you fly." Lucius assured and Harry grinned, before taking the broom down.

"Wanna fly more Daddy!" Sirius said and Harry smiled.

"I know buddy, but we need to eat now." He said and landed gracefully in front of the blanket. He took the sticking charms off the broom and helped each of his sons get off of it. They ran over to Draco and Harry smiled following at a slower pace. The house elves had apparently made finger sandwiches, as well as Sheppard pie, salad, chicken, potato salad, macaroni salad, baked beans. Carrots, celery, cucumber and broccoli as well as half a dozen spreads and what appeared to be an entire liquor cabinet. There was also several non alcoholic drinks and Harry quickly poured his glass full of fruit punch, not wanting to repeat the incident with the fire whiskey.

"This is nice." He said sitting back against a pillow that had appeared since they laid down the blanket. "Boys I want you to drink some water as well as the other drinks and I don't want you to pour it yourselves, if you want something ask for it okay." Harry said and smiled as the three boys nodded.

"Can you help me get food?" Sirius asked Narcissia and she smiled.

"I would be delighted, you are Abraxas right?"

"No silly Aby has green eyes, I have grey." Sirius said and Narcissa smiled.

Cygnus tugged on Lucius' shirt. "Help me Grandpa." He said and Abraxas looked hesitantly to Snape, before running over to Harry.

"Daddy help me?" He asked and Harry smiled.

"Of course I will Braxy." He said and went over to the plates. "Is there anything you don't want?"

"I eats it all, like you says." Abraxas said and Harry smiled.

"You don't have to eat all this Abraxas, if you don't like something tell us okay?" He asked and the little boy nodded. "That goes for you as well boys."

"Okay Daddy." Three little voices said and Harry smiled.

"I have a feeling you are going to be a pushover." Draco said and Harry laughed, as he made a small plate of food for Abraxas and a larger one for himself.

"What do you want to drink, you can drink anything in this cabinet, the other cabinet is for grown ups."

"Why?" Cygnus immediately asked and Harry sighed.

"Cause it makes them act like little kids, if you drank it you'd act like an adult before getting really sleepy." Harry lied.

"Wanna be a dult, but I no like naps." He said and Harry laughed.

"I didn't either buddy, I don't think most kids do."

"I like naps." Sirius protested and Harry smiled.

"Me too, cause Fa Ma and Father cu...Will you cuddle us?" Abraxas asked.

"Of course we will, we like cuddling you just as much as you like to be cuddled." Harry said and they smiled at him. He turned back to Abraxas. "Now what do you want Braxy?"

"Can I try a little of each, never had different colored drinks before, other than white stuff." He said and Harry smiled.

"Okay, you can have a little of each, then you get half a glass of whatever you like best." He said and looked to Draco, who nodded. He poured a small amount of each drink into three shatter and spill proof glasses. He handed one glass to each of the children and smiled as they drank, sometimes what he poured wasn't to a child's liking and they made tiny faces, which Harry thought were adorable. They finished going through the drinks and each child seemed to like a different flavor best. Cygnus loved pumpkin juice, while Sirius liked sparkling apple juice and Abraxas liked drinking fruit punch. Harry sat down with his plate and smiled as Abraxas sat next to him.

"Scary Daddy." Abraxas said cuddling against him. "No like it when Daddy and Papa go, no like." He said and Harry sighed.

"Daddy and Papa needed to go flying, didn't you have fun with Grandpa Luc and Grandma Cissa?"

"Yes but no like no see Papa or Daddy."

"Papa and Daddy like to play together sometimes too, we like to play alone. As much as we love you and your brothers, its nice to play with your Papa alone."

"I play with Papa and Daddy alone too? Cygnus said he got to go with you."

"I'd be glad to spend some time with just you and me Braxy, but you've got to be brave cause its good to have someone to play with, other then Papa, me and your brothers."

"Don' like big people, they scary." Abraxas said and Harry nodded.

"I remember that big people could sometimes be scary, when I was small. No one can hurt you though, not as long as you wear that bracelet I gave to you." Harry promised and the little boy hugged him tightly. Harry stroked a hand through his son's hair. "Now I don't know about you Braxy, but I'm hungry."

"I hungry too." Abraxas said and Harry smiled, taking a bite out of his sandwich.

"Its okay to pick sandwiches up." He told the child and smiled as Abraxas took a bite out of his sandwich and chewed slowly. They ate together in relative silence, until he finished his plate. "Would you like more food."

"I full." Abraxas said and Harry smiled, getting some more of the chicken and baked beans. He ate that as well as he watched Cygnus talking to his Grandpa, or rather the little boy was doing all the talking and Lucius was listening while attempting not to look alarmed at the chatty child. Narcissia meanwhile was sitting with Sirus on her lap, as he drew several pictures and explained each one to her. Snape looked amused by the antics of the children and Draco was watching Abraxas and Harry.

"Do you want to hear a story?" Harry asked.

"Yes!" Abraxas said.

"Sev tells the best stories, why don't you ask him to read to you." Harry said and Abraxas looked slightly afraid.

"Come with me Daddy?" The child asked and Harry nodded, he got out several books and Abraxas picked one before going over to Severus, while Harry stood back a little ways. "Daddy said you told good stories, read to me pawleas." He said and Severus nodded, opening the book, as Harry sat down close to him and Abraxas crawled into Harry's lap. Severus opened the book and started to read, Harry smiled basking in the warm sunlight, the sound of his children talking and laughing, his mate simply watching everything with a smile on his face. Harry felt suddenly light hearted and was surprised when a song emerged from his mouth that wasn't at all human. He sang of his happiness, of his joy in his mate and his children, of bright sunshine and sweet smelling grass. He sang of his children, each one of them were beautiful little boys and he sang from his heart. He felt the song surround him and spread outwards, he smiled down at his son, as the boy sighed sticking a finger in his mouth and closing his eyes, one tiny hand wrapped around Harry's shirt. He smiled softly and laid back on the blankets continuing to sing, as his children came and nestled against him. Draco came as well smiling at Harry and kissed him on the cheek, there were tears in Draco's eyes and Harry smiled, brushing them away with a free hand, the other being used as a pillow by Sirius. He sang of his love for Storm and how he was excited to know his mate and start their lives together. He felt his eyes get heavy and he closed them, he fell into sleep as the last note of the song died.

Narcissia Lucius and Severus stared at the sleeping family with wonder, amazed at how Harry had allowed him to hear his song. Phoenixes usually only sang to those they considered kin, heartkin or charges and despite everything, apparently Harry considered them to be his heart kin.

"Should we leave them something to drink once they wake?" Narcissia asked.

"They will come inside eventually, however..."Severus got out a bottle with a sprayer on it. "It seems as though those boys have inherited your delicate skin, I don't want them to suffer sunburn." He said and sprayed the sleeping family with the potion, he smiled as it settled around them. "I suppose that we should go inside now." He said and Narcissia and Lucius nodded. Together they left the picnic blanket and walked back into the manor.


End file.
